DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

House of Lords: Reform

Priti Patel: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister with reference to the House of Lords Reform Draft Bill, if he will estimate 
	(1)  the additional resources required by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to administer the proposals to bring members of the House of Lords within the salary and expenses system operated by that Authority;
	(2)  the costs to the public purse of holding elections to a reformed House of Lords under the Single Transferable Vote system;
	(3)  the office costs to be incurred by peers in the proposed reformed House of Lords;
	(4)  the cost to the public purse of drawing up boundaries for constituencies for the election of members of the proposed reformed House of Lords;
	(5)  the cost to the public purse of the proposed arrangements for pension provision for peers;
	(6)  the cost of replacing the House of Lords as presently constituted with the model proposed in the Draft Bill.

Mark Harper: The Government will carefully consider the costs of reforming the House of Lords, including those incurred by elections.
	Costs of providing and administering salaries, pensions and allowances for members of the reformed House of Lords will depend on a number of variables.

House of Lords: Reform

Priti Patel: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister with reference to the House of Lords Reform Draft Bill, what his policy is on proposals that would enable parties not in Government to appoint or recommend peers for appointment to fulfil opposition frontbench functions in the proposed reformed House of Lords.

Mark Harper: The Government published proposals for a wholly or mainly elected House of Lords on 17 May. In a mainly elected House, a statutory appointments commission would recommend individuals to serve as appointed members. They would be expected to bring a non-party political perspective to their work. The Prime Minister will be able to appoint a limited number directly to the reformed House of Lords to serve as Ministers, for the duration of their ministerial office. The Government does not see any need to extend this to include Opposition spokesmen, as there is no requirement for Opposition spokesmen to be accountable to Parliament in the way Members of the Government are.

House of Lords: Reform

Priti Patel: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister with reference to the House of Lords Reform Draft Bill, if he will estimate the number of peers in the proposed reformed House of Lords that would hold frontbench positions on behalf of their political party.

Mark Harper: The Government published proposals for a wholly or mainly elected House of Lords on 17 May. Political parties would be able to appoint members of the reformed House of Lords, in numbers which they would decide, to serve in frontbench positions on behalf of their party.
	The number of paid Ministers in the reformed House of Lords will be restricted by the Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975, which provides for a maximum of 109 paid Ministers in both Houses.

House of Lords: Reform

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he has made on his proposals for House of Lords reform; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: The Government published a White Paper and draft Bill on 17 May setting out proposals for a wholly or mainly elected reformed second chamber. Oral statements were made in both Houses. The White Paper and draft Bill are to be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny by a joint committee of both Houses. A Government Bill will then be introduced in the next session. The Government hope that the transition will start in 2015 with the first elections to the reformed House of Lords.

House of Lords: Reform

James Clappison: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 24 May 2011, Official Report, column 769, what plans he has to produce an estimate of the cost of a reformed House of Lords; and when he expects such an estimate to be available.

Mark Harper: The Government are carefully considering the costs of reforming the House of Lords, including those incurred by elections.
	Costs of providing and administering salaries, pensions and allowances for members of the reformed House of Lords will depend on a number of variables. However, the Government will provide further details of costs during pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft House of Lords Reform Bill.

Voting Rights: Prisoners

Priti Patel: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he has proposed to the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers that it make a referral under Article 46(3) of the European Convention on Human Rights in respect of the judgments made by the European Court of Human Rights in respect of the United Kingdom's laws on the voting rights of prisoners.

Mark Harper: No. Article 46(3) of the European Convention of Human Rights is intended to enable the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers—in circumstances where they believe the supervision of the execution of a final judgment is hindered by a problem of interpretation of the judgment—to refer to the European Court of Human Rights for a ruling on the interpretation of the judgment. Such a referral requires the support of a majority of two thirds of the Committee of Ministers—it is not open to the Governments of individual member states to use.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

British Sky Broadcasting: News Corporation

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which (a) law firms and (b) barristers his Department engaged to advise on the proposed takeover of BSkyB by News Corporation and related undertakings; and what his most recent estimate is of the cost to the public purse of such advice.

Jeremy Hunt: This process is ongoing. Once completed, we will publish details requested by the hon. Member.

Departmental Legal Profession

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many lawyers are employed within his Department; and how many such lawyers are qualified to practise in England and Wales as (a) solicitors and (b) barristers.

Jeremy Hunt: The Department does not directly employ any lawyers. Lawyers are employed by the Treasury Solicitors Department and assigned to the Department.
	There are currently 19 lawyers, and 1 trainee lawyer, assigned to the Department. All those lawyers (apart from the trainee) are qualified to practice in England and Wales as either solicitors or barristers.

SCOTLAND

Defence

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department has discussed with the Ministry of Defence proposals by the Scottish Government that a future independent Scotland could share defence capabilities and facilities with the UK.

Michael Moore: No. All personnel, wherever they are from in the UK, serve as part of the United Kingdom armed forces. The UK Government believes that being part of the UK is good for Scotland, and Scotland being part of the UK is good for the rest of the UK.

Departmental Responsibilities

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the Secretary of State for Transport; and whether he discussed the future of Scottish coastguard stations at that meeting.

Michael Moore: I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on a range of issues of mutual interest, including the future of Scottish coastguard stations. The consultation on the proposals to modernise Her Majesty's Coastguard closed on 5 May, and the Government will evaluate the responses to that and the conclusions of the Transport Select Committee's inquiry into the proposals before making any final decisions.

Scottish Grand Committee

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with officials in his Department on the Scottish Grand Committee.

David Mundell: I have regular discussions with my officials on a full range of matters relating to Scotland. I refer the hon. Lady to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland on 19 May 2011, Official Report, columns 293-294W.

PRIME MINISTER

National Security Council

Jim Murphy: To ask the Prime Minister on what dates the National Security Council has met since 1 April 2011.

David Cameron: The National Security Council has tended to meet weekly since its establishment and will continue to do so.

CABINET OFFICE

Businesses: Durham

Pat Glass: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many business start-ups in North West Durham constituency there (a) were in each month between June 2005 and May 2010 and (b) have been in each month since May 2010.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many business start-ups in North West Durham constituency there (a) were in each month between June 2005 and May 2010 and (b) have been in each month since May 2010.
	Monthly statistics on business start ups are not available. Annual statistics on the number of enterprise births are available from 2002 onwards in the ONS release on Business Demography at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	The table below contains the latest statistics available, which give the number of enterprise births from 2005 to 2009 in the constituency of North West Durham. Information relating to 2010 will be available following release of the latest Business Demography publication in December 2011.
	
		
			 Enterprises births in North West Durham from 2005–09 
			  Births 
			 2005 305 
			 2006 295 
			 2007 365 
			 2008 290 
			 2009 265

Carbon Monoxide: Poisoning

George Hollingbery: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many deaths in each age decile were due to accidental and unintended carbon monoxide poisoning from a domestic fuel source in each of the last 15 years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many deaths in each age deciles, were due to accidental and unintended carbon monoxide poisoning from a domestic fuel source in each of the last 15 years. (58365)
	The following table provides the number of deaths caused by accidental exposure to the toxic effect of carbon monoxide, by 10-year age group, in England and Wales, from 1995 to 2009 (the latest year available).
	The information collected at death registration provides statistics on deaths which were caused by specific conditions or injuries. It is not possible to ascertain from these statistics whether the carbon monoxide was associated with a domestic fuel source.
	
		
			 Table 1. Number of deaths caused by accidental exposure to the toxic effect of carbon monoxide, by age group, England and Wales, 1995 to 2009  (1, 2, 3, 4) 
			 Deaths (persons) 
			  0-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80+ 
			 1995 12 4 20 17 22 18 23 20 29 
			 1996 15 5 21 19 18 18 19 20 23 
			 1997 11 11 18 19 23 17 16 23 29 
			 1998 5 5 11 24 14 22 21 20 20 
			 1999 7 8 13 14 21 15 9 23 30 
			 2000 6 7 9 20 11 19 16 19 24 
			 2001 8 6 14 10 18 19 13 16 26 
			 2002 9 1 11 14 17 17 16 10 20 
			 2003 3 5 19 6 17 12 9 13 20 
			 2004 7 4 8 14 12 11 12 14 17 
			 2005 2 2 0 13 8 7 7 7 19 
			 2006 6 1 4 10 16 18 6 15 11 
			 2007 1 0 9 11 11 9 8 16 14 
			 2008 1 0 5 9 14 16 10 9 21 
			 2009 2 4 6 12 14 11 13 14 14 
			 (1) Cause of death for accidents was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes E800-E928 (excluding E870-E879) for the years 1995 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes V01-X59 for the years 2001 to 2009, where these codes appeared as the underlying cause. (2) Cause of death for carbon monoxide poisoning was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code 986 for the years 1995 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code T58 for the years 2001 to 2009, where these codes appeared as the secondary cause. (3) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

TREASURY

Apprentices

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely number of additional apprenticeship places he expects to be created in each (a) region, (b) local authority and (c) parliamentary constituency in each of the next four years, following his decision to fund up to 50,000 additional apprenticeship places; and how many apprenticeship places in total he expects there to be in each case in each such year.

John Hayes: I have been asked to reply.
	We are increasing funding for apprenticeships to £1.4 billion, sufficient to train over 360,000 apprentices in 2011-12. In the Budget we announced an additional £180 million package for 50,000 additional adult apprenticeship places over the spending review period. This is on top of the plans for growth in the apprenticeships programme that we published in Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth in November 2010 (for adults aged 19 and over) and the YPLA 16-19 “Funding Statement” (December 2010).
	In support of the coalition Government's principle of greater freedom, Skills for Sustainable Growth and Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth set out the abolition of central targets and increased freedom and flexibility for further education colleges and training organisations to respond effectively to the needs of employers, learners and their communities. It is for individual colleges and training organisations, working directly with their local partners, to determine the offer that best meets the needs of their communities.
	Accordingly, take-up of apprenticeships by region follows employer demand and we are not able to provide estimates of the geographical distribution of funding or Apprenticeship places, as these would be either too broad to be of use or would be potentially misleading.

Banks: Loans

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 23 May 2011, Official Report, column 353W, on business: finance, if he will estimate the proportion of the letters received by his Department since July 2007 concerning (a) Royal Bank of Scotland, (b) Northern Rock, (c) Bradford and Bingley and (d) Lloyds Banking Group that related to (i) removal of overdraft facilities and (ii) removal of loan facilities.

Mark Hoban: The Department does not hold that information. Correspondence is categorised by primary subject. The Department has not separately categorised letters by specific content.

Businesses: Government Assistance

Alun Cairns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses have been assisted by the HM Revenue and Customs Business Support Service in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Gauke: holding answer 8 June 2011
	The information requested is not available.
	Between the launch of HMRC's Business Payment Support Service (BPSS) in November 2008 and 31 March 2011 428,800 arrangements were granted to businesses in the UK, to spread tax payments of £7.37 billion over an agreed period. However, some businesses will have made repeat arrangements and therefore this is not the specific number of businesses that have been assisted.

Corporation Tax

Ian Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of corporation tax received in Scotland was paid by banks and other financial institutions with headquarters in Scotland in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Gauke: holding answer 8 June 2011
	The information requested is not available. HMRC publish statistics on United Kingdom corporation tax receipts for the financial sector, which includes banks. This information is regularly updated and published in Table 11.1 on the HMRC National Statistics website. The latest update is available here:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/corporate_tax/table11_1.pdf
	HMRC do not routinely estimate tax receipts at regional or country level.

Corporation Tax

Ian Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount foregone by the Exchequer in a financial year from a reduction in corporation tax payable in Scotland of (a) one, (b) two and (c) three per cent.

David Gauke: holding answer 8 June 2011
	The information requested is not available. HMRC do not routinely estimate the fiscal impact of corporation tax changes at regional or country level.

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what recent representations he has received on the review of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme;
	(2)  what recent meetings he has had with consumer groups on the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with and receive representations from a wide range of stakeholders including consumer groups as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.

HM Revenue and Customs: Manpower

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) change plan for 2011 on the overall level of employment at HMRC; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: At the beginning of the current financial year HMRC's staffing levels were at 66,000 full-time equivalent posts. HMRC's change plan anticipates that by the end of the financial year this will have reduced to 63,400 full-time equivalent posts, a reduction that HMRC is confident can be achieved through natural wastage as people leave the department to retire or to take up new posts in other organisations. HMRC will do everything it can to avoid compulsory redundancies and these will only be used as a very last resort.
	The reduced staffing level will not be detrimental to customer service. HMRC's new customer-centric strategy focuses on the needs of its particular customer groups and enables it to provide an improved service and an improved customer experience at a lower cost.

Insurance: EU Law

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of progress on the Insurance Guarantee Scheme Directive.

Mark Hoban: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 7 June 2011, Official Report, column 128W, to the hon. Member for Calder Valley (Craig Whittaker).

Members: Correspondence

Graham Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Financial Secretary to the Treasury plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Weaver Vale of 16 December 2010 and 8 March 2011 on behalf of his constituent, Mr Roger Wickins.

Mark Hoban: I wrote to all hon. Members on 21 February 2011 to set out the Government's overall position on Retail Distribution Review. This letter was in response to any outstanding correspondence that hon. Members may have raised.

Members: Income Tax

Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons hon. Members are proposed to be exempted under section 554E of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.

David Gauke: holding answer 8 June 2011
	The exemption in point is contained in the disguised remuneration legislation in Finance (No. 3) Bill which is being introduced to counter attempts to use third party arrangements to avoid tax on employment income. The specific provision excludes payments made to MPs by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA). IPSA, who are otherwise a third party for the purposes of the legislation, makes certain payments to MPs to enable them to carry out their parliamentary duties. This is not tax avoidance and has therefore been excluded from the new rules. Other third party arrangements involving MPs would not be excluded from the new rules.

TRANSPORT

High Speed Two Railway Line

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to the public purse was of the Brackley High Speed Two Roadshow.

Philip Hammond: The cost for the Brackley High Speed 2 Roadshow venue was £1,540. The exhibition material is owned by HS2 Ltd. This does not reflect staff time attending the events which would be difficult to break down per venue.

High Speed Two Railway Line

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to the public purse was of the Upper Boddington High Speed Two Roadshow.

Philip Hammond: The cost for the Upper Boddington High Speed Two Roadshow venue was £330. The mobile exhibition vehicle is owned by HS2 Ltd. This cost does not reflect staff time attending the events which would be difficult to break down per venue.

High Speed Two Railway Line

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to the public purse was of the Chipping Warden High Speed Two Roadshow.

Philip Hammond: The cost of the Chipping Warden High Speed Two Roadshow venue was £148.50. The mobile exhibition vehicle is owned by HS2 Ltd. This cost does not reflect staff time attending the events which would be difficult to break down per venue.

High Speed Two Railway Line

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to the public purse of the High Speed Two project has been to date.

Philip Hammond: HS2 Ltd spent £24.1 million (excluding VAT) between January 2009, when it was established, and the end of the 2010-11 financial year. In addition, the Department spent £9.6 million on property purchases under the Exceptional Hardship Scheme up to the end of the 2010-11 financial year.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the consolidation of support mechanisms for low and ultra-low emission vehicle research and development to be complete.

Norman Baker: A decision on the consolidation of existing support mechanisms for ultra-low emission vehicle research and development has been delayed to ensure that it can be taken in the context of the electric vehicle infrastructure strategy, which is due to be published by the end of June.
	This decision will be taken before the end of July 2011.

Motor Vehicles: Lighting

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the safety of high-intensity discharge lighting on vehicles.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport has commissioned one report on high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting on vehicles and one report on headlamp glare which included HID lamps.
	The first report, completed in 1994, was used to inform the UK negotiating position on the draft European Regulation on HID lighting. The second report, completed in 2001, investigated headlamp glare and driver vision and reviewed existing headlamp requirements including HID lamps.
	The titles of the reports are:
	TRL report number: PR/SRC/11/94, Gas Discharge Headlights by J Cobb and Wendy Gibbons.
	Vehicle Lighting: Headlamp glare and driver vision by Andrew Shearlaw and Dean Southall (placed in House Library in 2004)

Railways: Passengers

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of future demand for London to Portsmouth passenger rail services.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport is currently working with Stagecoach South West Trains and Network Rail to assess future demand for London to Portsmouth passenger rail services with a view to securing additional passenger capacity.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Departmental Redundancy

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of employees of his Department that will be made redundant in each of the next three years; how many such employees he estimates are engaged in front-line duties; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: No such estimate is currently available.
	The Department for Work and Pensions is currently developing plans for achieving the 26% reduction of its core budget—including a 40% reduction of its corporate overheads—by 2014-15, announced in last year's spending review. Not all of this reduction will necessarily be achieved through headcount reductions.

Disability Living Allowance

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households receive the severe disability premium; and how many such households have a child who is caring for a disabled adult.

Maria Miller: holding answer 8 June 2011
	The Department for Work and Pensions do not hold specific management information on young carers as they are the responsibility of the Department for Education. However, 2001 census data suggest there are approximately 139,000 young carers in England, of whom 22,000 are caring for 20-50 hours a week. (More recent informal sources suggest that the numbers may be higher and we await the 2011 census data to confirm this.) Information on the number of households receiving the severe disability premium is given in the following table.
	The issue of young carers is a challenging one and supporting them is a priority for is Government. The Government's new Carers Strategy, “Recognised, valued and supported: Next Steps for the Carers Strategy” has a strong focus on supporting young carers. It emphasises the important of adult and children's services, alongside the voluntary sector, working together to identify and support young carers.
	The Government will continue to work with local authorities and the voluntary sector to break down barriers to effective practice and support the spread of evidence-based practice. That is why the Department for Education is funding the Children's Society and the Princess Royal Trust for Carers up to £1.5 million until March 2013. They will encourage ‘whole family' approaches to supporting young carers and promote the new e-learning module that the Department for Education has developed for school staff on the needs of young carers.
	My Department are considering the position of young carers within universal credit. For individuals and households who currently receive the severe disability premium there will be transitional protection where their universal credit would be less than under the old system, provided their circumstances remain the same.
	Information on the number of households receiving the severe disability premium is given in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of IS, PC and JSA claimants with a severe disability premium—November 2010 
			 Benefit Severe disability premium 
			 IS 228,560 
			 PC 709,600 
			 JSA 2,900 
			 Notes: 1. Income support (IS) and pension credit (PC) figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Jobseeker's allowance (JSA) figures are to the nearest hundred. 2. IS figures exclude residual minimum income guarantee claimants. 3. Figures on employment and support allowance claimants with a severe disability premium are not centrally collated. Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (Income Support, Pension Credit) and 5% sample (Jobseeker's Allowance).

Disability Living Allowance

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of reassessing each person of working age who is in receipt of disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: holding answer 8 June 2011
	The cost of administering personal independence payment will depend on the detail of how the benefit is delivered and the design of the new assessment. Costs will be refined as further detail on the reform is developed. Approximate high level delivery costs (both one off investment and DEL) have been estimated to be £675 million (net present value) over the period 2011-12 to 2015-16. These include provision for making changes to the IT systems, training DWP staff, the administrative effort required to manage the transition of existing recipients to the new system and the cost of trained independent assessors undertaking the new assessment.
	Costs will be refined as further detail on the reform is developed. The Government will set out further detail at the earliest appropriate point.

Housing Benefit: Foster Care

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether a foster child is to be allocated a bedroom on the same basis as any other child in the calculation of the appropriate maximum housing benefit.

Steve Webb: Current policy is to not treat foster children as members of the foster carer's household in the calculation of the appropriate maximum housing benefit. This is consistent with the current treatment of foster children in housing benefit assessments for those living in the private rented sector. However, the Government disregards the whole of the foster carer allowance that is given to the foster parents when assessing eligibility for all income related benefits; this balance leaves the majority of households who foster substantially better off.
	Discretionary housing payments can be paid by the local authority, if considered appropriate, based on the individual circumstances of the case.

Housing Benefit: Liverpool

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Liverpool will have their benefit reduced as a result of the extension of the shared accommodation rate of housing benefit to single people aged under 35 years; and what assessment he has made of the availability of shared accommodation in (a) Walton and (b) other areas of Liverpool.

Steve Webb: Based on analysis of the local housing allowance caseload in March 2010, it is estimated that 1,450 claimants in Liverpool would have their rate of local housing allowance reduced to the shared accommodation rate.
	No assessment has been made of the availability of shared accommodation in Walton or other areas of Liverpool. This will depend on the responses of claimants and landlords to the reduced local housing allowance entitlement.
	Source:
	Equality impact assessment of the increase to the shared accommodation rate age threshold, available on the DWP website at
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/eia-hb-shared-accommodation-age-threshold.pdf

Jobcentre Plus: Bexley

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints have been received by each Jobcentre Plus in the London borough of Bexley in each of the last 12 months.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Darra Singh
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many complaints have been received by each Jobcentre Plus in the London Borough of Bexley in each of the last 12 months. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	There is only one Jobcentre Plus office in the London Borough of Bexley, and that is Bexleyheath Jobcentre Plus.
	The figures included in the table below represent all complaints made by, or relating to, a Bexleyheath Jobcentre customer. This includes complaints received at any point of the Jobcentre Plus complaints process, including at the Jobcentre, at District Office and those received by senior officials and Ministers.
	
		
			 Complaints received by Bexleyheath Jobcentre over the last 12 months 
			 Month complaints received Number of complaints 
			 June 2010 17 
			 July 2010 27 
			 August 2010 19 
			 September 2010 22 
			 October 2010 17 
			 November 2010 15 
			 December 2010 13 
			 January 2011 13 
		
	
	
		
			 February 2011 24 
			 March 2011 25 
			 April 2011 23 
			 May 2011 28 
			 Total 243

Jobseeker's Allowance: Barnsley

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of claimants of jobseeker's allowance in Barnsley East constituency who (a) have been affected by his Department's changes to entitlement to mortgage interest payments and (b) will be affected in the 12 months following the change.

Steve Webb: The standard interest rate which is used to calculate support for mortgage interest was changed to 3.63% from 1 October 2010. This change affects the entire support for mortgage interest caseload.
	(a) Number of JSA claimants receiving mortgage interest at November 2010: The number of JSA claimants receiving Mortgage Interest is based on 5% sample data; figures less than 500 are subject to a high degree of sample variation and should be used only as a guide. In Barnsley East the number is “nil or negligible”—as sample data are rounded to the nearest 100 this means that the derived figure is “less than 50” and so subject to large sample variation.
	(b) The information is not available: DWP only forecasts claimant numbers for Great Britain, and not at devolved administration or regional level.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to reply to the letter of 9 May 2011 from the hon. Member for Walsall North concerning a constituent.

Chris Grayling: As the matters raised were operational, a reply was sent to the hon. Member by the Customer Services Director of the Pension Disability and Carers Service on behalf of the Secretary of State on 8 June 2011.

Unemployment

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to reduce the level of (a) long-term and (b) youth unemployment.

Maria Miller: We are tackling these issues through a range of initiatives.
	The Work programme will be the single biggest payment by results employment programme the United Kingdom has ever seen, providing personalised support to an expected 2.4 million claimants over the next five years helping individuals find and sustain employment.
	Work programme providers will not be required to deliver centrally specified support, which may be inappropriate for many claimants, but instead will be given the freedom to innovate and develop personalised support. In return for this freedom, they will be paid on the basis of the results they achieve.
	In addition to this, the support Jobcentre Plus advisers have available to offer is being bolstered with a series of Get Britain Working measures. Government are asking for the active engagement of employers, partners and claimants themselves in every community in Britain.
	From April 2011 we have put in place a much more flexible and personalised approach to the way Jobcentre Plus delivers to claimants. Jobcentre Plus managers and advisers will have far more flexibility to judge which interventions will help their claimants, tailored to personal and local labour market needs.
	To help support young people, in this year's Budget the Chancellor announced funding for up to 100,000 work experience placements over the next two years as part of our support for moving young people into the world of work and providing them with the experience that employers tell us is really important. We are also funding up to 40,000 additional apprenticeship places for young unemployed people over the life of this Parliament and plan to introduce an extension to work experience placements where employers want to offer a young person an apprenticeship which will help smooth the transition for both the employer and the young person.
	The Prime Minister recently announced an enhanced £60 million package of support including a £30 million Innovation Fund, provision of early access Work programme places for vulnerable 18 year olds, and additional support for 16 and 17 year old jobseeker's allowance claimants.
	We have also announced measures to improve and support vocational training including sector-based work academies and access to apprenticeships for vulnerable young people.

EDUCATION

16-19 Bursary Fund

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he expects local authorities to supply learning providers with data on incoming students who will qualify for assistance under the 16 to 19 Bursary Scheme.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 7 June 2011
	The Department will not require local authorities to supply data to education and learning providers in respect of young people's eligibility for the new 16-19 Bursary Fund. We will provide guidance to schools, colleges and training providers regarding the kind of evidence they might wish to seek from young people claiming a guaranteed £1,200 bursary. Beyond that, schools, colleges and training providers will be able to exercise their discretion to award bursaries to young people—including those who were in receipt of free school meals in year 11—in ways that best fit their needs and circumstances.

16-19 Bursary Fund

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects learning providers to receive their funding allocation under the 16 to 19 Bursary Scheme for the 2011-12 academic year.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 7 June 2011
	Details of the allocations for the 16-19 Bursary Fund are being finalised following the consultation on the new arrangements, which closed on 20 May. The Young People's Learning Agency will issue allocations to schools, colleges and training providers in June.

Arts: Education

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of the contribution of (a) art, (b) music, (c) drama and (d) design and technology in the school curriculum to the wider academic development of five to 16-year-olds.

Nick Gibb: We expect schools to provide a broad and balanced curriculum which meets the needs of their pupils and in particular, we said in our Schools White Paper that children should expect to be given a rich menu of cultural experiences. Darren Henley is currently undertaking an independent review of cultural education, which is expected to report at the end of this year.
	A thorough review of the national curriculum is also under way, which aims to develop a national curriculum which is rigorous and results in high standards and coherence in what is taught in schools. As part of the review, consideration will be given to whether art and design, music and design and technology should remain compulsory subjects within the national curriculum and, if so, at which key stages. Drama is not currently a statutory national curriculum subject, though pupils are expected to be able to use dramatic techniques to make progress in English.
	We will be announcing our proposals early next year.

Curriculum Review

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to ensure that design and technology is prioritised in his Department's curriculum review.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 8 June 2011
	We are taking a phased approach to the review of the national curriculum. We have announced that the statutory core subjects—English, mathematics and science—will remain compulsory at all four key stages in future, along with physical education. In the first phase of the review we are designing new programmes of study for those subjects, with a view to first teaching in schools from September 2013.
	For all other subjects, including design and technology, we believe it is right that there should be a debate about whether they should remain part of the national curriculum, with statutory programmes of study, or whether it should be for schools to decide the content of their courses in those subjects as well as the way they should be taught. We have recently concluded a call for evidence on this and other issues and are currently analysing the results, along with a range of other evidence. We will announce our proposals early next year, and there will then be a further period of consultation before final decisions are taken.

History: GCSE

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information he holds on the (a) name and (b) constituency of each school which took part in the OCR GCSE History pilot course.

Nick Gibb: 101 schools across 63 constituencies took part in the OCR GCSE History pilot course. The name and constituency of each school is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 School name Constituency 
			 Beal High School Ilford North 
			 Saltley School and Specialist Science College Birmingham, Hodge Hill 
			 Handsworth Wood Girls' Visual and Performing Arts Specialist College and Sixth Form Centre Birmingham, Perry Barr 
			 Plantsbrook School Sutton Coldfield 
			 Handsworth Grammar School Birmingham, Perry Barr 
			 King Edward VI Handsworth School Birmingham, Perry Barr 
			 King Edward VI Five Ways School Birmingham, Edgbaston 
			 Sandwell Academy Warley 
			 Grace Academy Solihull Meriden 
			 CTC Kingshurst Academy Meriden 
			 Blue Coat Church of England Comprehensive School A Performing Arts Specialist College Walsall South 
			 Queen Mary's Grammar School Walsall South 
			 Aldridge School—A Science College Aldridge-Brownhills 
			 Highfields Science Specialist School Wolverhampton South West 
			 St Peter's Collegiate Church of England School Wolverhampton South West 
			 Wolverhampton Girls' High School Wolverhampton South West 
			 Aire Valley School Shipley 
			 Bradford Grammar School Bradford West 
			 Dixons City Academy Bradford East 
			 Bradford Academy Bradford East 
			 Holmfirth High School Colne Valley 
			 Shelley College—A Specialist Centre for Science Dewsbury 
			 John Smeaton Community College Leeds East 
			 Benton Park School Pudsey 
			 Crawshaw School Pudsey 
			 Guiseley School Pudsey 
			 Horsforth School Pudsey 
			 St Mary's Catholic Comprehensive School, Menston Pudsey 
			 Crofton High School—Specialists in Maths and Computing Hemsworth 
			 Featherstone Technology College Hemsworth 
			 St Wilfrid's Catholic High School and Sixth Form College Hemsworth 
			 Lord Lawson of Beamish Community School Blaydon 
			 Cardinal Hume Catholic School Gateshead 
			 Oxclose Community School Washington and Sunderland West 
			 St Aidan's Catholic School Sunderland Central 
			 St Robert of Newminster Roman Catholic School Washington and Sunderland West 
			 Harrogate Grammar School Harrogate and Knaresborough 
			 St Aidan's Church of England High School Harrogate and Knaresborough 
			 Challney High School for Boys and Community College Luton North 
			 Harlington Upper School Bedfordshire, Mid 
			 Ilkeston School: Specialist Arts College Erewash 
			 Kirk Hallam Community Technology and Sports College Erewash 
			 Highfields School Derbyshire Dales 
			 Heanor Gate Science College Amber Valley 
			 Noel-Baker Community School and Language College Derby South 
			 Framwellgate School Durham City of Durham 
		
	
	
		
			 Durham Gilesgate Sports College and Sixth Form Centre City of Durham 
			 Paget High School, Business and Enterprise College Burton 
			 King Edward VI School Lichfield 
			 Wolgarston High School Stafford 
			 Ounsdale High School Staffordshire South 
			 The Friary School Lichfield 
			 Cheslyn Hay Sport and Community High School Staffordshire South 
			 Blessed William Howard Catholic School Stafford 
			 St John Fisher Catholic College Newcastle-under-Lyme 
			 Edensor Technology College Stoke-on-Trent South 
			 Tiverton High School Tiverton and Honiton 
			 Ridgeway School South West Devon 
			 Devonport High School for Boys Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport 
			 Torquay Girls Grammar School Torbay 
			 Torquay Community College Torbay 
			 Westlands School Torbay 
			 St Cuthbert Mayne School Torbay 
			 Torquay Boys' Grammar School Torbay 
			 Alec Hunter Humanities College Braintree 
			 The Deanes School Castle Point 
			 William de Ferrers School Maldon 
			 The Sandon School Maldon 
			 Maltings Academy Witham 
			 South Bromsgrove Community High School Bromsgrove 
			 Wolverley CofE Secondary School Wyre Forest 
			 Colne Primet High School Pendle 
			 Southlands High School Chorley 
			 Clitheroe Royal Grammar School Ribble Valley 
			 Ashfield Comprehensive School Ashfield 
			 The Meden School and Technology College Mansfield 
			 Valley Comprehensive School Bassetlaw 
			 Portland School Bassetlaw 
			 The Grove School Newark 
			 Joseph Whitaker School Sherwood 
			 The Holgate Comprehensive School Sherwood 
			 All Saints RC Comprehensive School Mansfield 
			 Farnborough School Technology College Nottingham South 
			 Sir James Smith's Community School North Cornwall 
			 Torpoint Community College South East Cornwall 
			 Fowey Community College St Austell and Newquay 
			 Budehaven Community School North Cornwall 
			 Wadebridge School North Cornwall 
			 Bodmin College North Cornwall 
			 Newquay Tretherras School St Austell and Newquay 
			 Liskeard School and Community College South East Cornwall 
			 Looe Community School South East Cornwall 
			 Barclay School Stevenage 
			 The Nobel School Stevenage 
			 The Thomas Alleyne School Stevenage 
			 Tring School South West Hertfordshire 
			 The John Henry Newman Catholic School Stevenage 
			 Education and Youth Services (Herts) Stevenage 
			 Caroline Chisholm School South Northamptonshire 
			 Mildenhall College of Technology West Suffolk 
			 George Abbot School Guildford

Pupils: Assessments

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Common Assessment Framework; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: It is for local authorities to assess the effectiveness of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) process in their area, and to adapt the CAF process to meet local needs to support better outcomes for children, young people and their families.
	There are no plans to make a statement on the Common Assessment Framework at this time.

Road Safety

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans his Department has for road safety campaigns in schools in 2011-12.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has no plans for road safety campaigns in schools. A wealth of road safety material is available from other governmental, and non-governmental, organisations.
	The Department for Transport's Strategic Framework for Road Safety is under development and is planned to be published in the near future. The Department for Transport (DFT) has issued THINK! Education, a comprehensive set of free online road safety teaching resources that cover ages 4-16, available to all schools, to ensure that they have good quality materials that they will want to teach. It includes materials for teachers, pupils and parents and can also be used by out of school groups. It covers all aspects of road safety, from car seats for young children to pre-driver attitudes for secondary schools. It is available at
	www.dft.gov.uk/think/education/early-years-and-primary/
	and
	www.dft.gov.uk/think/education/secondary
	Resources for road safety education, supplied with support from the DFT, and complementary to the DFT material, are also available from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) at
	http://www.rospa.com/roadsafety/resources/teachers/
	RoSPA, the DFT and local road safety practitioners have worked together to produce a website,
	www.roadsafetyevaluation.com
	and an online toolkit called E-valu-it to help practitioners to evaluate road safety education, training and publicity interventions; to help ensure that limited resources are used to the best effect; and to share lessons about what education interventions work best, why and how. Directgov also carries road safety advice at
	http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/AdvancedSearch/Searchresults/index.htm?fullText=road+safety

School Leaving

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the adequacy of system to provide routes back into education for those who leave formal education at 16.

Nick Gibb: The Government are providing sufficient funding to pay for a place in education for any 16 to 18-year-old who wants one and all local authorities are expected to have a process to offer 17-year-olds a suitable place in education or training by the end of September. This process, which has been known as the ?September Guarantee', aims to ensure that all those who left education at 16 have a further opportunity to engage. 93.7% of 16-year-olds and 85.2% of 17-year-olds participated in education or work based education and training at the end of 2009.
	We recognise that the small group of young people who are not participating need additional support to do so. We are committed to raising the age at which all young people will participate in education or training to 17 in 2013 and 18 in 2015. Local authorities have a statutory duty to support young people to participate, including providing targeted support to vulnerable young people. We are providing funding for this through the Early Intervention Grant.
	We know that pupils who do not achieve good GCSEs are more likely to leave education at 16. We set out, alongside our plans to accept all of Alison Wolf’s recommendations on vocational education, plans to review provision for these pupils, with the aim of increasing the proportion who are able to progress directly onto post-16 courses that will equip them with the skills that employers value. This review will build upon the findings of an independent evaluation of Foundation Learning, which already provides a route back into formal education for many young people.
	Young people all have individual needs and we want to ensure that local areas have the freedom and flexibility to meet these. We have commissioned 35 local authorities to explore new approaches to achieving full participation in their areas. This is intended to be a locally-led programme where the areas can share their findings with each other, and with authorities in areas that are doing less well, so that they can develop and build on each others' work.

Schools

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of extremism in schools.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 18 May 2011
	The Government are clear that there should be no place for extremist activities in any school. That is why the Secretary of State for Education has established a dedicated unit within the Department for Education focusing specifically on preventing extremism.
	The unit will focus on safeguards such as strengthening inspection arrangements. The Department for Education is working with Ofsted to ensure that inspectors have the necessary knowledge and expertise to determine whether extremist and intolerant beliefs are being promoted in a school. New arrangements for inspecting maintained schools, Academies and Free Schools are being developed and relevant training on aspects of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development will be provided to inspectors. Specialist inspectors that undertake work relating to independent schools are soon to receive more detailed training. We are sending a clear message that extremism will not be tolerated in schools.
	The full range of the unit's work will be set out in the Government's ‘Prevent’ strategy, the preventative strand of the Government's counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST.
	Prevent is currently under review and the new strategy will be published shortly.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Burma: Human Rights

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on allegations of human rights abuses in Burma; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: The Government regularly receives reports of human rights abuses from groups inside Burma, as well as those in exile and lobby groups in the UK. Recent reports have in particular focused on alleged human rights violations against civilians as a result of an escalation of conflict in Shan State. We have made clear that we are deeply concerned by these reports, that we are monitoring the situation closely and that we have raised the issue with the Burmese Government and Burmese ambassador. More widely, the Government secured a strongly-worded human rights resolution at the March UN Human Rights Council which called on the Burmese Government to end continuing grave violations of international humanitarian law. Burma remains one of the Government's countries of concern for human rights abuses and we will continue to provide quarterly updates to Parliament on the human rights situation through the FCO Human Rights and Democracy Report:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/global-issues/human-rights/around-the-world/human-rights-report/

Burma: Human Rights

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take further steps to address the human rights situation in Burma and promote the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry into that matter; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: The Government have made clear our support for the UN Special Rapporteur's recommendation for the UN to consider establishing a Commission of Inquiry into human rights abuses in Burma. At the March Human Rights Council we helped secure text which expressed serious concern that previous calls to end impunity have not been heeded and called on the Burmese Government to undertake without delay an impartial and independent investigation into all human rights violations and with appropriate attention from the UN. In recent weeks we have discussed the issue of a Commission of Inquiry with United States of America and French officials and held discussions with EU counterparts on 9 March 2011. We continue to work closely with international partners to build support for a Commission of Inquiry.

Burma: Politics and Government

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Burma for the introduction of a nationwide ceasefire in that country.

Jeremy Browne: The Government are deeply concerned by the reported breakdown of ceasefire agreements with ethnic militia and by reports of an escalation in conflict especially in Shan State and associated reported serious human rights abuses against civilians. Our ambassador raised the issue of the ongoing conflict with ethnic groups with the Burmese Government on 10 May 2011 underlining the importance of a political solution. On 5 May 2011, Senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials also raised this issue with the Burmese ambassador. We will continue to monitor the situation and urge the Burmese Government to reinstate ceasefire agreements with a view to a lasting political settlement.

Burma: Politics and Government

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on encouraging tripartite dialogue between the Burmese government, the National League for Democracy and representatives of ethnic minorities in Burma.

Jeremy Browne: An inclusive dialogue between all Burma's opposition and ethnic groups that leads to a genuine process of national reconciliation remains one of the international community's long-standing demands. We are clear that only through such a process can Burma achieve peace and stability. The Government continue to support the UN Secretary-General's Good Offices Mission to this end, and have made clear the importance we attach to the appointment of a credible new envoy able to reinvigorate the political track.

Egypt: Females

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any of the £40 million in the Arab Partnership Fund announced for political reform is to be used to support women's organisations in Egypt.

Jeremy Browne: As part of our £1.2 million Arab Partnership Programme to support the immediate political transition in Egypt, we are considering developing a project with a local NGO to encourage women's participation in the political sphere. The project aims to provide women participants with the skills and practical support to organize successful campaigns and promote human and women's rights within their communities.
	We are also sponsoring a visit to the UK for prominent revolutionary youth activists of both sexes, who are attempting to establish their own political parties and coalitions. The visit aims to expose the activists to British political life, providing them with a model for developing their nascent parties and skills to prepare for electoral campaigns.

Indonesia: Embassies

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the British embassy in Indonesia was closed on 13 May 2011.

Jeremy Browne: The main British embassy building in Jakarta has been closed since 13 May 2011. We closed the embassy on 13 May 2011 on account of security concerns arising from the unauthorised actions of one of our neighbours, who disabled several security barriers and consequently left the embassy at risk of attack. We have had no choice but to close the embassy in order to protect our staff from the risks that working at an insufficiently secure embassy building in Jakarta would entail. We have registered our serious concern with the Indonesians authorities and have been working extremely hard with them to reach a solution whereby security is restored at the embassy. We cannot compromise the safety and security of our British and Indonesian staff. Our embassy will remain closed until we and our Indonesian counterparts reach and implement a viable solution.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, has discussed this issue with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa on 20 May 2011, and I raised it again when I met him at the Asia Europe meeting in Budapest on 7 June 2011. Senior officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have also raised the seriousness of this situation with the Indonesian ambassador, most recently on 6 June.
	Our embassy is continuing to provide essential services to British nationals and businesses from secure fall-back locations but these do not offer a viable long-term alternative. However, the unfortunate and unexpectedly prolonged closure of the main building is having a damaging impact on the embassy's work, and the services we can offer UK business, British citizens and our Indonesian partners. Normal services will be resumed as soon as it is safe for staff to move back into the main embassy building.

Palestinians: Housing

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the demolition of houses in Area C of the West Bank;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Palestinian Authority and (b) his Israeli counterpart on the effects of restrictions on planning, construction, movement and access in Area C of the West Bank on Palestinians living in that area;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the effects of Israeli restrictions on planning, construction, movement and access on Palestinians living in Area C of the West Bank; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: We are concerned by a sharp increase in the level of demolitions in East Jerusalem and Area C. The embassy in Tel Aviv raises the issue of demolitions regularly with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, most recently in the case of Al Walaja on 23 May.
	The focus between the Israelis and the Palestinians should be on confidence-building steps with the aim of giving momentum to re-start negotiations. In this respect, house demolitions or the eviction of Palestinians from their homes are deeply unhelpful and cause unnecessary suffering to (ordinary) Palestinians.
	We continue to contribute towards the ongoing work of the International Peace and Cooperation Centre in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, which helps Palestinians better understand and effectively use the Israeli planning laws to prevent houses from being subject to (a) demolition orders in East Jerusalem and Area C and to help integrate planning in Area C with Areas A and B. The project also helps to facilitate the provision of better living and housing conditions in East Jerusalem neighbourhoods through planning and zoning.

Republic of Ireland: Roman Catholic Church

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Vatican on the time taken to publish the Roman Catholic church's full report into sex abuse in Ireland commissioned in March 2010.

David Lidington: The Holy See and the Roman Catholic Church have made clear their condemnation of child abuse, and that they must learn vital lessons to prevent it happening again. An exercise was launched by the Holy See in March 2010 to support the spiritual renewal of the Catholic Church in Ireland and to examine the effectiveness of its present processes in responding to cases of abuse and assistance provided to victims of abuse. A Holy See communiqué of 6 June said that the first phase of the Apostolic Visitation had been concluded and that an account of the results of the Visitation will published by early 2012.
	We await the conclusions of the Visitation, but we do not judge that it would be helpful or appropriate for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to press the Holy See on the timing of their publication given that a clear timeframe has been set out.

Russia: Homosexuality

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will make representations to the government of Russia in relation to steps taken against people seeking to demonstrate for gay equality in Moscow on 28 May 2011.
	(2)  if he will make representations to the government of Russia about the recent decision on a permit for Moscow Gay Pride for a rally for gay equality.

David Lidington: We have expressed serious concern to the Russian Government over its banning of Gay Pride rallies in Moscow, along with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) and freedom of assembly issues more widely. We have repeatedly called, and will continue to call, on the Russian Government to respect the rights of individuals to peaceful assembly.
	At our annual bilateral human rights consultations in January 2011, we called on Russia to respect the right to freedom of assembly of all individuals, including those protesting for the rights of LGBT people. We also work with EU partners to address the issue. In advance of the 28 May 2011 rally, EU officials discussed our concerns with a Russian delegation in Brussels. Representatives of EU embassies conducted monitoring of the rally.

Zimbabwe: Foreign Relations

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the aims and objectives of his policy on Zimbabwe are; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: Our aim is to support the aspirations of the Zimbabwean people for a peaceful, prosperous and democratic Zimbabwe. We will continue to work with reformers in Zimbabwe and the wider region to maximise the prospects of achieving the reforms needed for properly conducted elections.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Members: Correspondence

Rosie Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to respond to the letter from the right hon. Member for Doncaster Central of 23 December 2010 on the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill.

Nick Herbert: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 9 June 2011.

Violent and Sex Offender Register

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress her Department has made on its review of the sex offender register; when the report of that review will be published; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, set out plans for two key developments relating to the notification requirements for registered sex offenders (commonly referred to as the Sex Offenders' register) in her statement to the House on 16 February 2011, Official Report, column 959.
	She indicated that we would shortly bring forward proposals to implement the ruling of the Supreme Court in F and Thompson, in order to ensure that strict rules are put in place for considering whether sex offenders who are placed on the register for life should ever be removed. She also outlined plans to consult on proposals to further strengthen the management of sex offenders.
	We will shortly launch a targeted consultation seeking views on four key proposals to strengthen the notification requirements for registered sex offenders. The consultation will run for an eight week period.

Violent and Sex Offender Register

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress her Department has made in making it compulsory for persons on the sex offender register to report to the authorities their intention to travel abroad for periods of one day or more; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: In the statement to the House by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on 16 February 2011, Official Report, column 959, she indicated that we would be consulting on proposals to further strengthen the management of sex offenders.
	We will shortly launch a targeted consultation seeking views on four key proposals to strengthen the notification requirements for registered sex offenders, including introducing a requirement for registered sex offenders to notify all foreign travel (currently only travel of three days or more is notified to the police). The consultation will run for an eight week period.

JUSTICE

Courts: Fees and Charges

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 24 May 2011, Official Report, column 559W, on courts: fees and charges, if he will bring forward proposals to extend the deadline for the provision of evidence to support an application for fee remission.

Jonathan Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service are not aware that providing evidence within five days creates a problem to either the applicant who has to provide the court with evidence in support of their remission application or to the Departments who are responsible for providing the applicant with copies of the appropriate benefit entitlement notices. As a result there are no plans to extend the deadline for the provision of evidence.
	In particular, the Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed that:
	“anyone in receipt of a relevant benefit may ask Jobcentre Plus, for working-age benefits, or the Pension, Disability and Carers Service, for pension credit, for a proof of entitlement letter. Upon receiving such a request, the relevant agency will issue a written notice of entitlement on the same day”.

Departmental Legal Costs

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on retaining recoverability of (a) success fees and (b) after-the-event premiums for litigation related to (i) insolvency, (ii) professional negligence and (iii) large multi-track environmental or corporate negligence cases.

Jonathan Djanogly: As set out in “Reforming Civil Litigation Funding and Costs in England and Wales—Implementation of Lord Justice Jackson's Recommendations: The Government Response”, the Government have decided to abolish recoverability of conditional fee agreement success fees and after the event insurance premiums.

Departmental Legal Costs

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what submissions his Department has received from HM Revenue and Customs on his planned reforms of civil litigation costs and funding; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: HM Revenue and Customs provided a submission during the consultation period on the proposals to reform civil litigation funding and costs. My officials are in contact with officials at HMRC to discuss the impact of the reforms on insolvency proceedings.

Judges: Housing

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost was of providing judges' lodgings in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: In 2009-10, the latest period for which data are available, the cost of providing judges’ lodgings in England and Wales was £4.9 million.

Magistrates

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many magistrates have (a) retired and (b) resigned (i) nationally and (ii) in West Yorkshire since his recent announcement of decisions to close magistrates' courts.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government published their decisions on the provision of court services in North and West Yorkshire on 14 December 2010. The number of magistrates who have retired and resigned since that date is as follows:
	Retirements
	359 magistrates have retired in England and Wales. This includes 14 magistrates in West Yorkshire.
	Resignations
	487 magistrates have resigned in England and Wales. This includes 26 magistrates in West Yorkshire.
	The number of resignations from the magistracy during the period 14 December 2010 to 8 June 2011 (487) is slightly higher than for the same period in 2009-10 (414). There is no evidence to suggest that this increase is related to court closures.

Open Prisons

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many available spaces there are on the open prison estate.

Crispin Blunt: The latest published data (from 15 April 2011) show that there were 4,683 prisoners held in open prisons and that these prisons had an operational capacity of 4,871.
	This information is for all open prisons. This includes open female prisons, open young offender institutions and the relevant open parts of multi-site establishments; it does not include data for semi-open prisons or small (under 50 place) open units at closed prisons.

Prison Accommodation

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many category D prisoners are in higher security prisons awaiting transfer to an open prison and how many such prisoners have been waiting (a) less than two weeks, (b) between two and four weeks, (c) between five and eight weeks, (d) between nine and 12 weeks, (e) between 13 and 24 weeks and (f) longer than 24 weeks for a transfer.

Crispin Blunt: This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost as it would be necessary to contact every prison with closed accommodation who would then have to consult individual records.

Prisoners’ Release

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people released from prison in England and Wales following a determinate sentence during 2009 and 2010 were subsequently on licence.

Crispin Blunt: All offenders aged 18 and over serving a determinate custodial sentence of 12 months or more are released from prison on licence. Offenders aged 18 to 21 who are subject to a custodial sentence of less than 12 months are subject to a minimum period of three months supervision on licence following release from custody. Additionally, all offenders aged under 18 who are given a custodial sentence of any length are subject to supervision in the community on release from custody.
	The number of offenders released from determinate custodial sentences in prison establishments in England and Wales and subject to supervision in the community was 44,700 in 2009 and 49,312 in 2010.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to reduce the number of foreign national prisoners in prisons in England and Wales.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice and the Home Office are working closely together to reduce the number of foreign national prisoners (FNPs) who are in our prisons.
	This work includes the progression of plans outlined in the Ministry of Justice's Green Paper which will allow for conditional cautions to be available as an alternative to prosecution for some foreign national offenders with the condition being that the individual leaves the UK (we are already piloting this approach with simple cautions) and plans to remove indeterminate sentenced/lifer FNPs at the point of expiry of their tariff.
	A considerable amount of work aimed at reducing the FNP population is already under way. For example, we continue to operate an Early Removal Scheme under which FNPs serving a determinate sentence can be considered for deportation up to 270 days before they would otherwise be eligible for release.
	In addition we are building on existing Prisoner Transfer Agreements which enable some foreign national prisoners to serve their sentence in the country of origin. The EU framework decision on prisoner transfer is due to enter into force in December of this year and this should provide for a steady increase in the number of EU nationals transferred to their own country.
	The Ministry of Justice will continue to work with the Home Office to manage down overall FNP numbers and, where possible, divert foreign national offenders from the UK and our prison system.

Terrorism: Convictions

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many residents in the Probation-Approved Premises estate have been convicted of terrorist offences.

Crispin Blunt: As at 31 May 2011, there were six offenders residing in Approved Premises who had been convicted of offences under terrorism legislation or of terrorism-related offences. This information has been obtained from the specialist team within the National Offender Management Service which has responsibility for working with the statutory agencies which are supervising convicted terrorists and terrorist-related offenders in local areas.
	Approved Premises provide for enhanced supervision, particularly of high risk of harm offenders on release from custody. It would be much more difficult to provide that level of supervision, were such offenders to be dispersed into less suitable accommodation in the community on release from custody.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the ability of small and medium-sized enterprises to offer apprenticeships in the current economic climate.

John Hayes: Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. High quality training opportunities like apprenticeships are key to supporting their growth and our economic success.
	Many small businesses place great value on an apprenticeship and are prepared to invest in them. The National Employer Skills Survey (NESS) shows a national estimate of the proportion of apprentices employed by employer size.
	These data are based on repeated surveys of up to 79,000 employers across all business sectors in England. Table 1 shows information from the published 2009 National Employer Skills Survey on the proportion of apprentices employed by the size of establishment, expressed as a percentage of all apprenticeships.
	
		
			 Table 1: Percentage of apprentices employed by establishment size (NESS 2009) 
			  Number of employees in establishment  
			  2-4 5-24 25-99 100-199 200-499 500+ Total 
			 Percentage apprentices employed 13 34 23 8 11 10 100 
		
	
	Figure 8.4, p.208 accessed on 6 June 2011 in:
	https://ness.ukces.org.uk/NESS09/default.aspx
	A number of steps have already been taken to further boost the number of apprenticeship places offered by small and medium sized employers, including:
	Establishing the National Apprenticeship Service with ‘end to end' responsibility for delivering apprenticeships in England including access to information, advice and guidance to employers through their website;
	The introduction of apprenticeship vacancies to make it is easier for companies to advertise and recruit the right person;
	Expanding Group Training Association (GTAs) and apprenticeship Training Agency (ATAs) models to make it easier for small business take on apprentices; and
	Additional £75 million announced in the Budget to fund training and other support targeted at small and medium sized employers, particularly in industries such as advanced manufacturing, so that they can grow the number of people starting advanced and higher apprenticeships.
	We also worked with a group of employers, as well as the CBI and Federation of Small Businesses, to look at the ‘end to end' processes faced by employers training apprentices. We are now considering how we can make it easier for SMEs to employ apprentices and will report on this in the autumn.

Credit

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on accepting the recommendations of the Office of Fair Trading's review into the high-cost credit market; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and HM Treasury are carrying out a joint review of consumer credit and personal insolvency that is looking at all aspects of the consumer credit lifecycle from the decision to take out a loan through the lifetime of the loan. The review has been considering a number of coalition commitments and provides a framework for us to consider how best to take forward the recommendations from the Office of Fair Trading review of the high cost credit market.
	A call for evidence connected with the consumer credit review concluded in December and Government are considering the substantial number of submissions received. We expect to make an announcement on next steps before the summer recess.

Employment Protection

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what evidence his Department holds on the effects of employment protection legislation on (a) recruitment levels and (b) job creation.

Edward Davey: There has been a substantial amount of academic consideration of the relationship between employment protection legislation and recruitment levels and job creation both nationally and internationally.
	The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in its Job Study Review of 2006 provided a summary of this evidence in its policy pamphlet ‘Boosting Jobs and Income: Policy Lessons from Reassessing the OECD Jobs Strategy’. It concluded that:
	‘The link between the stance of employment protection legislation and aggregate unemployment is uncertain in theory, and in practice is dependent on the specific national context. However, there is evidence that too-strict legislation will hamper labour mobility, reduce the dynamic efficiency of the economy and restrain job creation. This may worsen job prospects of certain groups, like young people, women and the long-term unemployed.’
	In addition, there is international evidence that the UK has one of the least restrictive systems of employment protection in the OECD. It also has one of the highest rates of recruitment; high employment rates of women, the young and older people; and low levels of long term unemployment. There is evidence that the employment regulation system in the UK has contributed to these favourable labour market outcomes.
	Finally, there is evidence that the perceptions of the restrictiveness of employment legislation differ from the actual situation in the UK. Perceptions are that employment legislation is more restrictive than is actually the case.
	In summary, there is evidence that the UK employment protection system compares favourably with many other countries in its effect on recruitment levels and job creation. However, OECD evidence also suggests that:
	‘the precise balance between the different policy planks depends on country circumstances and institutions’
	which suggests that it may be possible to improve upon this position. Consequently, the Government are carrying out the Employment Law Review in order to see whether further improvements in employment and growth can be achieved.

Higher Education: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many degree course places funded by (a) the Higher Education Funding Council for England and (b) other organisations there were in (i) higher education institutions and (ii) further education colleges in (A) 2009-10, (B) 2010-11 and (C) 2011-12; how many such courses in each category he estimates will be funded in 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: The table shows the number of headcount Foundation, Undergraduate and Postgraduate degree students funded (a) by HEFCE and (b) independently(1) in (i) Higher Education Institutions and (ii) Further Education Colleges in academic years (A) 2009/10 and (B) 2010/11.
	(1) The institution receives enough resources from other sources (other than EL) public sources) for the year of instance to cover the HEFCE standard resource for its provision.
	
		
			 Funded Foundation, Undergraduate and Postgraduate degree students 
			 Headcount 
			   Academic year 
			 Funded by:  (A) 2009/10 (B) 2010/11 
			 (a) HEFCE (i) HEIs 1,300,636 1,301,121 
			  (ii) FECs 55,078 54,451 
			     
			 (b) Other organisations (i) HEIs 3,428 4,018 
			  (ii) FECs 64 43 
			 Sources: 1. Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)'s Higher Education Students Early Statistics Survey (HESES) 2. Higher Education In Further Education: Students Survey (HEIFES) 
		
	
	Figures for 2011/12 will be available in late December 2011. It is expected that the total number of fundable (i.e. HEFCE and independently funded) places on all courses in 2011/12 will be broadly similar to 2010/11.
	Information about the number of courses in 2012/13 is not available; the Department does not plan for the number of courses available.

Intellectual Property: Africa

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on the implementation of the recommendation of the Gowers Review on Intellectual Property that the UK Patent Office should undertake joint working with intellectual property offices in Africa.

Edward Davey: Since the publication of the Gower's review in 2006, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has undertaken a number of technical assistance projects in Africa. These include, in 2007 a project with Kenya and Botswana to implement a regulatory framework for access to medicines, working with IP offices and relevant ministries. In 2008, the UK hosted a visit from the then Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office of South Africa on IT, HR and IP processes, and worked with the Nigerian Copyright Commission. With funding from DFID, SAANA Consulting was commissioned to follow up the IP Needs Assessment diagnostic study for Uganda with delivery and evaluation of the priority projects. In 2009 we organised a conference with African countries and China on enforcement, with the United States Patent Office.
	In addition, we have provided funding to Light-years IP to help establish a series of projects in Sub-Saharan Africa designed to help African producers extract greater value from their products by maximising the value of their intellectual property. In February 2011, the IPO in partnership with the South African Research and Innovation Management Association, (SARIMA) undertook a project to build capacity in the commercialisation of intellectual property at South African Technology Transfer Offices.

Intellectual Property: Drugs

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to encourage World Trade Organisation member states to ratify the amendments to the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights to make importation of drugs easier and cheaper.

Edward Davey: The UK has regularly made clear its support for the Doha Declaration on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and public health, which agreed that:
	“the TRIPS Agreement does not and should not prevent members from taking measures to protect public health”
	including allowing developing countries with insufficient or no manufacturing capacities in the pharmaceutical sector to use a compulsory licence to import medicines. The EU has ratified the amendments to the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

Intellectual Property: Research

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on the implementation of the recommendation of the Gowers Review of Intellectual Property relating to the amendment of section 60(5) of the Patents Act 1977 to clarify the research exception.

Edward Davey: The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) consulted further on this recommendation in 2008 and the areas of pharmaceuticals and plant breeders' rights were highlighted by respondents. Guidance on the research exception was included in the latest edition of the IP Management Handbook for Universities (Intellectual Assets Management for Universities) published on the 19 of May 2011.
	The Government are considering further how the IP framework might be improved in relation to clinical trials with a view to presenting recommendations in the autumn as set out in the Growth Plan published with the budget in April 2011. As part of this process the IPO launched a consultation on 6 June 2011 to investigate the impact of UK patent legislation on the conduct of clinical and field trials involving pharmaceuticals in the UK.

Legal Systems: Islam

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many family law cases have been dealt with by Sharia tribunals under the Arbitration Act 1996 in each year since 1997.

David Willetts: holding answer 9 June 2011
	The Muslim Arbitration Tribunals (MAT) was established in 2007 in order to provide an alternative route to resolve civil issues in accordance with Sharia principles. The MAT operates according to the principles of the Arbitration Act 1996. We do not have any data on family matters dealt with by these councils or the MAT. Sharia councils do not describe themselves as “tribunals” as they do not have powers to enforce their decisions.
	Common law has restrictions on what can be arbitrated. Some family law issues such as the custody of a child or marital status cannot be arbitrated although some family financial issues can.
	There are no specific provisions in the Arbitration Act 1996 for Sharia council or “tribunals”.

Technology and Innovation Centres: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how much is to be allocated from the Technology Strategy Board budget in 2011-12 to develop a national grants for research and development scheme; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much money is to be allocated from the Technology Strategy Board budget for technology and innovation centres in 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: The budgets allocated by the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) for its Grant for Research and Development (R and D) scheme and Technology and Innovation Centres in FY 2011/12 are in the order of £20 million and £45 million respectively. These are indicative allocations within the TSB's overall core budget of £317 million for 2011/12 and are flexible to permit TSB to direct funding across its range of support mechanisms to maximise the impact of its strategic programmes and respond to emerging priorities.

HEALTH

Blood and Transplant Service

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on plans to make parts of the National Health Service Blood and Transplant Service subject to competitive tendering.

Anne Milton: Discussions have been held between departmental and Scottish Government officials about the review into NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT).
	The current review of NHSBT was a result of the conclusions of the “Report of the Arm’s-length Bodies Review” published in July 2010. The review is intended to assist NHSBT in further improving the efficiency of its operations and is consistent with Government policy to explore opportunities to increase efficiency.

Blood: CJD

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2011, Official Report, column 1273W, on blood transfusions, whether the dates for the timetabling of the prion filtered red blood cells in surgery and multi-transfused patients (PRISM) study have changed; and when he expects the final report to be completed;
	(2)  whether the eight-week antibody tests of the prion filtered red blood cells in surgery and multi-transfused patients (PRISM) study have been concluded.

Anne Milton: The timetable remains as set out in my reply of 24 March 2011, Official Report, column 1273W. The final report will be completed by the end of December 2011, for consideration by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissue and Organs in early 2012. I understand that the study in multi-transfused patients will no longer go ahead due to difficulties in recruiting sufficient patients to the study.
	As of 3 June 2011, eight-week antibody samples continue to be received from surgical patients, as part of the prion filtered red cells in surgery and multi-transfused patients study. The samples are taken eight weeks after the patients receive the red cell units, and follow-up samples taken at six months.

Blood: CJD

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the costs of the (a) development and (b) implementation of (i) prion filtration and (ii) a blood test for vCJD.

Anne Milton: With regard to prion filtration I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Ogmore (Huw Irranca-Davies) on 23 May 2011,
	Official Report
	, column 423W. Costs of development are borne by manufacturers.
	With regard to blood tests no estimates have been made of the costs of the development and implementation of a blood test for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) as there is currently no test proven to identify asymptomatic vCJD infection.

Health

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on health inequalities (a) in the North East and (b) nationally for each year since 1997.

Anne Milton: The information is shown in the tables.
	Further information is available in the Regional Health Profile for the North East, and in local health profiles, which are produced annually by the Association of Public Health Observatories and commissioned by the Department. These profiles are available on the Association of Public Health Observatories website:
	Regional Health Profile
	www.apho.org.uk/resource/view.aspx?RID=95362
	Local Health Profile
	www.apho.org.uk/resource/view.aspx?RID=50215&REGION=50150&SPEAR
	
		
			 Table 1: Life expectancy at birth (years) by area deprivation quintile, England, 2001-04 and 2005-08 
			  Male Female 
			  2001-04 2005-08 2001-04 2005-08 
			 Least deprived quintile 79.7 81.0 83.0 84.2 
			 2(nd )least deprived quintile 78.3 79.7 82.1 83.1 
			 3(rd) least deprived quintile 77.1 78.4 81.3 82.3 
			 4(th) least deprived quintile 75.1 76.3 79.9 80.9 
			 Most deprived quintile 71.9 73.0 77.8 78.6 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are period life expectancies at birth. 2. Period life expectancy at birth for an area in a given time period is an estimate of the average number of years a new-born baby would survive if he or she experienced the particular area's age-specific mortality rates for that time period throughout his or her life. It reflects contemporary mortality among those living in an area in each time period, rather than mortality that will be experienced throughout life among those born in the area, It is not therefore the number of years a baby born in the area could actually expect to live. 3. Figures are four-year averages, based on data aggregated over four-year time periods. 4. Area deprivation quintiles are derived by grouping lower layer super output areas (LSOAs) in England into quintiles based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2007 score for each LSOA. Each quintile contains approximately a fifth of LSOAs in England. Source: Office for National Statistics (“Inequalities in disability-free life expectancy by area deprivation, England 2001-04 and 2005-08”, Olugbenga Olatunde, Michael Smith, Chris White. Health Statistics Quarterly, vol 48, pp 36-57) 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2a: Life expectancy (LE) at birth (years) for England, areas in England with the worst health and deprivation, the North East Region, and local authority (Unitary Authority (UA) and district council) areas in the North East, 1996-98 to 2007-09—Male 
			  1996-98 1997-99 1998-2000 1999-01 2000-02 2001-03 2002-04 2003-05 2004-06 2005-07 2006-08 2007-09 
			 England 74.8 75.1 75.4 75.7 76.0 76.2 76.5 76.9 77.3 77.7 77.9 78.3 
			              
			 Areas with the worst health and deprivation 72.9 73.1 73.4 73.7 74.1 74.2 74.5 74.9 75.3 75.6 75.8 76.1 
		
	
	
		
			 Difference (England LE minus areas with the worst health and deprivation LE) 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.2 
			 North East region 73.2 73.5 73.9 74.3 74.5 74.7 74.9 75.4 75.8 76.3 76.4 76.8 
			 Difference (England LE minus North East LE) 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.5 
			              
			 Local authority areas in the North East region:             
			 County Durham UA 73.0 73.4 73.8 74.2 74.7 74.9 75.2 75.5 75.9 76.5 76.7 76.9 
			 Darlington UA 73.4 73.5 73.9 74.3 74.5 74.8 74.7 75.2 75.1 76.3 76.3 76.6 
			 Hartlepool UA 72.5 72.9 73.0 73.4 73.1 73.4 73.4 74.1 74.5 75.0 75.2 75.4 
			 Middlesbrough UA 72.6 73.1 73.2 73.2 73.5 73.8 74.0 74.1 74.5 75.0 75.5 75.7 
			 Northumberland UA 73.8 74.3 74.8 75.5 75.7 75.9 76.0 76.6 77.3 77.7 78.0 78.5 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA 73.4 73.7 74.2 74.9 75.1 75.1 74.9 75.2 76.0 76.7 77.2 77.7 
			 Stockton-on-Tees UA 73.7 74.2 74.6 74.8 75.2 75.3 75.5 75.7 75.9 76.4 76.4 76.9 
			 Gateshead 72.8 72.9 73.2 73.7 74.0 74.2 74.5 75.0 75.3 75.8 76.1 76.4 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 73.3 73.3 73.4 73.8 74.0 74.2 74.4 74.8 75.1 75.7 75.7 76.2 
			 North Tyneside 73.4 74.1 74.5 75.2 75.1 75.2 75.0 75.7 76.2 76.7 76.6 76.8 
			 South Tyneside 72.8 72.9 73.5 73.6 74.0 74.1 74.6 74.7 75.2 75.6 76.3 76.6 
			 Sunderland 73.0 73.2 73.3 73.6 73.7 74.1 74.6 75.2 75.5 75.6 75.4 75.9 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2b: Life expectancy (LE) at birth (years) for England, areas in England with the worst health and deprivation, the North East Region, and local authority (Unitary Authority (UA) and district council) areas in the North East, 1996-98 to 2007-09—Female 
			  1996-98 1997-99 1998-2000 1999-01 2000-02 2001-03 2002-04 2003-05 2004-06 2005-07 2006-08 2007-09 
			 England 79.8 80.0 80.2 80.4 80.7 80.7 80.9 81.1 81.6 81.8 82.0 82.3 
			              
			 Areas with the worst health and deprivation 78.4 78.5 78.7 78.9 79.2 79.2 79.4 79.6 79.9 80.2 80.4 80.7 
			 Difference (England LE minus areas with the 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.6 
			 worst health and deprivation LE)             
			 North East region 78.4 78.5 78.7 79.1 79.3 79.5 79.6 79.8 80.1 80.4 80.6 80.9 
			 Difference (England LE minus North East LE) 1.4 1.5 1.5 1.3 1.4 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.4 
			              
			 Local authority areas in the North East region:             
			 County Durham UA 78.4 78.6 78.8 79.1 79.3 79.2 79.3 79.4 79.9 80.2 80.5 80.7 
			 Darlington UA 79.2 79.4 79.0 78.9 79.1 79.6 79.9 80.0 80.0 80.4 80.5 80.8 
			 Hartlepool UA 78.0 78.1 78.9 79.1 79.1 78.4 78.2 78.3 78.3 78.1 79.0 79.8 
			 Middlesbrough UA 78.4 78.6 78.6 78.7 78.2 78.1 78.0 78.7 79.2 79.6 79.8 79.7 
			 Northumberland UA 78.8 78.9 79.2 79.6 80.4 80.7 80.8 80.9 81.1 81.3 81.5 81.7 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA 79.4 79.2 79.2 79.1 79.5 79.6 80.1 80.3 80.5 80.8 81.0 81.7 
		
	
	
		
			 Stockton-on-Tees UA 78.4 78.5 78.9 79.3 79.7 79.7 79.9 80.0 80.2 80.8 80.9 81.2 
			 Gateshead 77.8 77.9 78.1 78.4 78.8 79.2 79.4 79.5 79.9 80.4 80.5 80.6 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 78.0 78.4 78.6 79.4 79.4 79.6 79.8 80.1 80.3 80.5 80.5 81.0 
			 North Tyneside 78.8 79.1 79.2 79.5 79.5 79.9 79.9 80.4 80.6 80.9 80.6 81.0 
			 South Tyneside 78.5 78.4 78.6 79.5 79.5 79.8 79.4 79.9 80.1 80.5 80.3 80.8 
			 Sunderland 78.0 77.9 77.9 78.2 78.7 78.9 79.0 79.4 79.8 80.2 80.4 80.7 
			 Notes: To tables 2a and 2b: 1. Figures are period life expectancies at birth. 2. Period life expectancy at birth for an area in a given time period is an estimate of the average number of years a new-born baby would survive if he or she experienced the particular area's age-specific mortality rates for that time period throughout his or her life. It reflects contemporary mortality among those living in an area in each time period, rather than mortality that will be experienced throughout life among those born in the area. It is not therefore the number of years a baby born in the area could actually expect to live. 3. Figures are three-year rolling averages, based on data aggregated over three-year time periods. 4. All figures are shown rounded to one decimal place (figures for England and the areas with the worst health and deprivation are rounded to one decimal place based on published figures rounded to two decimal places). Difference between areas with the worst health and deprivation and the England average is calculated from life expectancy figures rounded to two decimal places; difference between North East and England is calculated from England figures to two decimal places and North East figures to one decimal place. 5. The areas with the worst health and deprivation were previously known as the “Spearhead Group”, which was defined in 2004 for use with associated former Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets included in the 2004 spending review. The Government have abolished the PSA system. The former “Spearhead Group” consisted of the 70 local authority (Unitary Authority and district council) areas (based on boundaries prior to the 1 April 2009 local government re-organisation) that were in the bottom fifth nationally for three or more of the following five factors: male life expectancy at birth 1995-97; female life expectancy at birth 1995-97; cancer mortality rate in under 75s 1995-97; cardiovascular disease mortality rate in under 75s 1995-97; and Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004 (Local Authority Summary), average score. Source: Office for National Statistics

Health Services: North East

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) doctors, (b) midwives, (c) specialist scientific staff, (d) nurses, (e) medical managers, (f) non-medical managers, (g) administrators and (h) healthcare assistants were employed in the North East in each year since 1990.

Simon Burns: Information is not available in the format requested. Information on the numbers of national health service staff in the North East Strategic Health Authority Area by main staff group, including doctors, midwives, specialist scientific staff, nurses, managers, administrators and healthcare assistants in each year since 1995 is shown in the following table.
	Information cannot be provided from 1990 onwards, as comparable work force data are available only from 1995.
	
		
			 Headcount  (1) 
			  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
			 All Doctors(2) 4,602 4,829 5,033 5,048 5,269 5,489 5,656 5,823 
			 Medical and Dental staff(2) 3,124 3,359 3,548 3,542 3,749 3,953 4,053 4,178 
			 General Practitioners (GPs) (ex retainers)(3) 1,478 1,470 1,485 1,506 1,520 1,536 1,603 1,645 
			          
			 Practice Nurses 890 827 807 954 1,002 881 942 1,031 
			          
			 All Non-medical Staff 49,279 51,112 51,249 51,523 53,706 55,718 58,537 60,357 
			          
			 Professionally qualified clinical staff 22,983 23,169 22,939 23,435 24,376 24,814 25,963 26,854 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 18,024 18,227 17,791 18,079 18,870 19,125 20,035 20,473 
			 Of which:         
			 Midwives 1,342 1,234 1,224 1,141 1,088 1,083 1,276 1,241 
			 Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff (ST&T) 4,637 4,637 4,854 4,949 5,177 5,399 5,654 6,119 
			 Qualified ambulance service staff 322 305 294 407 329 290 274 262 
			          
			 Support to clinical staff 15,356 16,387 17,230 17,766 18,533 19,430 20,747 21,045 
			 Support to doctors and nursing staff 12,523 13,422 14,271 14,889 15,618 16,420 17,433 17,604 
		
	
	
		
			 Of which:         
			 Healthcare Assistants 542 650 590 928 1,097 1,099 1,427 1,467 
			 Support to ST&T staff 1,864 1,898 1,953 2,034 2,199 2,253 2,512 2,614 
			 Of which:         
			 Healthcare Assistants 6 10 10 47 47 38 35 26 
			          
			 Support to ambulance staff 969 1,067 1,006 843 716 757 802 827 
			          
			 NHS infrastructure support(4) 10,689 10,667 10,951 10,277 10,767 11,437 11,783 12,433 
			 Central functions 3,629 3,849 3,923 3,883 4,053 4,390 4,802 5,391 
			 Hotel, property and estates 6,156 5,863 6,125 5,415 5,646 5,857 5,770 5,654 
			 Managers and senior managers 904 955 903 979 1,068 1,190 1,211 1,388 
			          
			 Other staff or those with unknown classification 251 889 129 45 30 37 44 25 
		
	
	
		
			 Headcount  (1) 
			  2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010  (1) 
			 All Doctors(2) 6,071 6,524 6,637 6,937 7,090 7,353 7,788 7,915 
			 Medical and Dental staff(2) 4,330 4,699 4,764 4,942 5,145 5,367 5,686 5,820 
			 General Practitioners (GPs) (ex retainers)(3) 1,741 1,825 1,873 1,995 1,945 1,986 2,102 2,071 
			          
			 Practice Nurses 1,117 1,124 1,064 1,167 1,123 1,099 1,224 1,097 
			          
			 All Non-medical Staff 61,901 65,034 66,193 65,681 64,172 66,714 69,067 69,338 
			          
			 Professionally qualified clinical staff 27,852 29,341 29,782 30,367 30,468 31,458 31,981 31,735 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 20,991 22,065 22,291 22,220 22,296 22,937 23,153 22,882 
			 Of which:         
			 Midwives 1,205 1,277 1,274 1,276 1,288 1,331 1,382 1,297 
			 Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff (ST&T) 6,579 6,969 7,162 7,327 7,342 7,794 8,081 8,113 
			 Qualified ambulance service staff 282 307 329 820 830 727 747 745 
			          
			 Support to clinical staff 22,163 22,637 22,892 22,318 20,739 21,796 22,786 23,722 
			 Support to doctors and nursing staff 18,500 18,686 18,907 18,620 17,296 17,890 18,543 19,443 
			 Of which:         
			 Healthcare Assistants 2,013 2,824 2,949 2,762 3,222 3,936 4,298 4,011 
			 Support to ST&T staff 2,826 3,067 3,034 2,980 2,794 2,973 3,240 3,235 
			 Of which:         
			 Healthcare Assistants 20 23 19 18 24 22 22 15 
			 Support to ambulance staff 837 884 951 718 649 933 1,003 1,064 
			          
			 NHS infrastructure support(4) 11,852 13,026 13,491 12,971 12,951 13,446 14,294 13,999 
			 Central functions 5,413 5,620 6,095 5,754 5,784 6,069 6,524 6,509 
			 Hotel, property and estates 4,837 5,728 5,669 5,518 5,347 5,443 5,690 5,555 
			 Managers and senior managers 1,602 1,678 1,727 1,699 1,820 1,934 2,080 1,943 
			          
		
	
	
		
			 Other staff or those with unknown classification 34 30 28 25 14 14 6 5 
			 (1) The new headcount methodology for 2010 data are not fully comparable with previous years data due to improvements that make them a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the “NHS Workforce: Summary of staff in the NHS: Results from September 2010 Census” publication which is available in the Library. (2) Excludes medical Hospital Practitioners and medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals. (3) GP Retainers were first collected in 1999 and have been omitted for comparability purposes. (4) NHS Infrastructure support staff includes administrative senior managers, managers, clerical staff, Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, and other areas of work which do not involve patient contact. Notes: 1. Comparable workforce data are only available from 1995. 2. 2010 Headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components. 3. Medical and dental data as at 30 September each year. 4. GP data as at 1 October 1991-99 and 30 September 2000-10. 5. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where changes impact on figures already published, this is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Sources: 1. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care 2010 Non-Medical Workforce Census 2. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census 3. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.

Health Services: Terrorism

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what analysis his Department has conducted on the ability of medical experts to (a) identify and (b) report those who are vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism.

Simon Burns: No separate analysis has been undertaken to measure a clinician’s ability to identify or report those who are vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism.
	Health professionals are not being asked to seek out or report individuals who are vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism, but instead will raise any concerns internally with the Prevent Lead within their organisation. The Prevent programme in health raises awareness of this form of exploitation so that, during the normal course of clinical practice, a clinician or healthcare worker may recognise that a vulnerable individual is either being groomed or drawn into violent extremism, and is therefore knowledgeable in how to provide support. Safeguarding vulnerable individuals will ensure that appropriate actions and support mechanisms can be put in place to redirect them away from criminal activity. This process is undertaken with the consent of the patient.
	Healthcare staff already have a duty to report concerns about abuse or exploitation of vulnerable adults and children. Raising concerns through Prevent will be no different.
	As with any other therapeutic relationship that a healthcare worker has with a patient, it is key that the safeguarding processes already in place can be used, assisting clinicians to protect vulnerable adults and children from exploitation and harm by others.

Heart Diseases: Children

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  for what reason the documents associated with the Safe and Sustainable Review consultation were not translated into Urdu;
	(2)  for what reason the Safe and Sustainable Review did not take account of children’s heart surgery services at Yorkhill hospital, Glasgow;
	(3)  what estimate was made in the NHS Safe and Sustainable Review of the number of patients who would travel from Yorkshire and Humber to (a) Liverpool under options A, B and C and (b) Leicester under option A instead of to Newcastle.

Simon Burns: The Safe and Sustainable review of children’s heart services in England is being conducted by the NHS Specialised Commissioning Team. However, we have been following its progress.
	Translations of the consultation documents have been available on request. Acting on requests received, the national health service is translating the consultation document and response forms into 10 different languages. They are Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Farsi, Gujarati, Polish, Hindi, Punjabi, Somali and Urdu. These translated documents are available at:
	www.specialisedservices.nhs.uk/safeandsustainable/consultation_document
	The NHS in England does not have responsibility for the commissioning of Scottish health services. This is a matter for Ministers of the Scottish Government. However, a representative of the commissioning body for the children's heart surgical service at Yorkhill hospital, the National Services Division, was present as an observer at Safe and Sustainable steering group meetings to identify any relevant cross-border issues.
	Detail about the travel analysis is available in Appendix S, page 208 of the pre-business consultation case. This is available at:
	www.specialisedservices.nhs.uk/document/meeting-joint-committee-primary-care-trusts-jcpct-16th-february-2011-agenda

Netcare Healthcare UK

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he or officials of his Department have met representatives of (a) Netcare, (b) Network Healthcare Holdings Ltd and (c) General Healthcare Group since his appointment; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Ministers have not had meetings with these organisations. Officials at the Department have routine operational contact with General Healthcare Group as part of their involvement with the provision of services through the Extended Choice Network.
	Representatives from the General Healthcare Group met with officials on 27 January 2011, 14 April 2011 and 6 June 2011.

Sickle Cell Diseases: Children

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospital sites in England provide access to transcranial doppler ultrasound assessment for children with sickle cell disease.

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure implementation of the NHS Standards and Guidance for Transcranial Doppler Scanning for children with sickle cell disease in (a) Ealing Primary Care Trust and (b) England.

Anne Milton: The Department does not collect information on services for transcranial doppler assessment of children with sickle cell.
	The provision of services for transcranial doppler scanning of young children with sickle cell disease is the responsibility of commissioners of specialised services and providers.
	The Department, working with key stakeholders, has supported a range of initiatives to improve access to quality services for sickle cell and thalassaemia patients. This includes supporting the development of transcranial doppler scanning services to provide early identification of sickle cell children at risk of stroke, and the training of health professionals.

Sickle Cell Diseases: Children

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to ensure suitable training for clinical staff in the theory, protocols and equipment used in transcranial doppler scanning for stroke on children with sickle cell disease.

Anne Milton: The content and standard of healthcare training is the responsibility of the independent regulatory bodies.
	Through their role as the custodians of quality standards in education and practice, these organisations are committed to ensuring high quality patient care delivered by high quality health professionals and that healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to deal with the problems and conditions they will encounter in practice.
	While it is not practicable or desirable for the Government to prescribe the exact training that any individual doctor will receive we are, of course, aware of the need to ensure perceived areas of weakness in training curricula are addressed. The Department has sponsored training courses for healthcare professionals for transcranial doppler (TCD) scanning carried out by Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation Trust and King's College Hospital Foundation Trust. In March 2009, the NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme published standards and guidelines for TCD scanning.

Social Services: Inspections

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many inspections were carried out by the Care Quality Commission or its predecessors in each year between 2000 and 2010; and how many have been carried out in 2011 to date.

Simon Burns: The following information has been provided by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The CQC has advised it cannot confirm the accuracy of data produced by the National Care Standards Commission and is therefore unable to supply data prior to 2004.
	
		
			 Completed inspections under the Care Standards Act 2000 and reviews of compliance under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 for regulated health and social care services  (1) 
			  2004-05 2005-06 2006-07  (2) 2007-08  (3) 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11  (4) 1 April 2011 -7 June 2011 
			 Adult social care inspections (Care Standards Act 1 April 2004 - 30 September 2010) 48,062 47,341 26,676 19,059 15,072 11,477 4,094 — 
			 Independent healthcare inspections (Care Standards Act 1 April 2007 - 30 September 2010)(5) — — — 369 764 884 279 — 
			 All sectors: reviews of compliance (Health and Social Care Act 1 April 2010 - 31 March 2011)(6) — — — — — — 986 1,359 
			 (1 )These data do not include activities under the Mental Health Act as visits under this Act are not formal assessments of the overall standard of care and treatment at a service. (2) From 2006-07, there was a reduction in number of adult social care inspections due to changes in methodology, changes to statutory inspection plus a focus on poorer services. (3 )Further reduction in inspection numbers due to the transfer of children's services to Ofsted from 1 April 2007. (4) During 2010-11 providers were moved from inspections under the Care Standards Act 2000 to reviews of compliance under Health and Social Care Act 2008, a more risk based approach to the frequency of inspections. (5) Pre-2007 data not available. (6) 1 April 2010 to 30 September 2010 national health service data only. From 1 October 2010 data are reviews of compliance for NHS, independent healthcare and adult social care. 
		
	
	The CQC no longer carries out performance assessment of adult social care providers under the Care Standards Act 2000. From 1 October 2010 providers of adult social care are now subject to the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, which requires all health and social care providers to register with the CQC and meet essential requirements of safety and quality. The CQC is in the process of consulting on a new excellence award for adult social care, which will provide further information to people using services on the quality of care provided.
	The CQC regulation is increasingly based on a wide spectrum of information covering hard data, observations made on the ground and patient experience.
	The CQC has a risk-based approach to the frequency of its inspections of providers. Under the new system, the CQC can make short, focussed unannounced site visits with direct observations of care at any time. This lets the CQC see how care is being delivered at first hand and on an everyday basis.

Southern Cross Healthcare

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date his Department first discussed with Southern Cross the financial position of that company; and on what subsequent dates such meetings have been held.

Paul Burstow: Departmental officials first met with Southern Cross to discuss the matter on 14 March 2011. Subsequent meetings have taken place on 21 March, 6 April, 21 April, 19 May, 23 May, 6 June and 8 June 2011.
	Regular contact has been maintained since March between departmental officials and Southern Cross as part of the careful watch we are keeping on the situation.

Strokes: Children

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve stroke services for children.

Anne Milton: The Department supports and promotes guidelines produced by the Royal College of Physicians which provides national health service professionals and others information and best practice guidance in managing the conditions of children who have suffered strokes.
	Since a large proportion of strokes in children occur in those with sickle cell disease, we have implemented national antenatal and newborn screening including transcranial doppler scanning from age two, which can help detect the likelihood of strokes.
	Also, a small number of newborn babies are vulnerable to strokes from intracranial bleeding and Vitamin K is routinely administered as a prophylaxis to prevent bleeding.
	We have also published the National Framework for Children and Young People's Continuing Care, which will help with assessing the continuing health care needs of children and young people, including those children affected by stroke, and with considering the bespoke packages of care required to meet those needs.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Departmental Billing

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what mechanism his Department has established to ensure its payments are passed through the supply chain to each tier in accordance with the last date for payment defined in the Government's Fair Payment guidance.

Bob Neill: My Department's mechanism to ensure that payments are passed through the supply chain in accordance with the Government's Fair Payment guidance is via a standard contract clause.
	“A6.8 Where the Contractor enters into a sub-contract for the purpose of performing its obligations under the Contract, it shall cause a term to be included in such sub-contract which requires payment to be made by the Contractor to the sub-contractor within a specified period not exceeding 30 Days from receipt of a valid invoice as defined by the sub-contract.”
	The Government's Guide to best ‘Fair Payment' practices, which applies to construction procurement, can be found at:
	www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/Guide_to_Fair_Payment_Practices.pdf

Departmental CCTV

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many CCTV cameras are installed in and around his Department's premises; and how much such cameras cost to (a) install and (b) operate in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: The Department has a network of CCTV cameras to enhance security at its premises, to prevent and deter crime including terrorism, and to assist in managing the response to any incidents that may occur.
	In considering the public interest, I do not feel it would be appropriate to disclose information which would allow assessments to be made on the location and scope of such security measures.

Departmental Research

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what (a) longitudinal and (b) other (i) research and (ii) collection of data his Department has (A) initiated, (B) terminated and (C) amended in the last 12 months; and what such research and data collection exercises undertaken by the Department have not been amended in that period.

Bob Neill: This information cannot be provided due to disproportionate costs.
	Notwithstanding, I refer the hon. Member to:
	(i) the departmental press notice of 10 August 2010 on the Place Survey which was previously placed in the Library of the House, further to the written ministerial statement of 6 September 2010, Official Report, columns 1-3WS;
	(ii) the answer given to him on 28 February 2011, Official Report, column 107W, on the Citizenship Survey;
	(iii) the written ministerial statement of 13 October 2010, Official Report, columns 20-21WS, on Comprehensive Area Assessment, Local Area Agreements and the Single Data List, alongside the associated departmental webpage on the Single Data List at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/decentralisation/tacklingburdens/singledatalist/
	(iv) my Department's Draft Statistics Plan for 2011-12 Consultation, which can be found at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/plan201112consultation
	We are committed to reducing the burden of data reporting imposed on local authorities by central Government.

Departmental Travel

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much each executive agency of his Department has spent on travel by (a) private hire vehicles, (b) trains, (c) buses, (d) commercial aircraft and (e) private aircraft since May 2010.

Bob Neill: Between 1 May 2010 and 30 April 2011 the Department's Executive Agencies have spent the following amounts:
	
		
			 £ 
			 DCLG's Executive Agencies (a)   Private   hire vehicles (b)   Trains (c)   Buses (d)   Commercial   aircraft (e)   Private   aircraft 
			 Fire Service College(1) 2,296.27 7,097.84 0 6.762.37 0 
			 Planning Inspectorate 18,984.75 200,562.39 1,833.10 5,804.61 0 
			 Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre 16,885.47 2,025.92 0 3,096.75 0 
			 (1) Data only provided for the period 1 December 2010 to 30 April 2011 as information prior to this period could only be made available at disproportionate cost. 
		
	
	As context, the Department's Executive Agencies spent the following between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010.
	
		
			 £ 
			 DCLG's Executive Agencies (a)   Private   hire vehicles (b)   Trains (c)   Buses (d)   Commercial   aircraft (e)   Private   aircraft 
			 Fire Service College(1) — — — — — 
			 Planning Inspectorate 35;916.67 446,548.78 3,791.39 7,989.67 0 
			 Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre 20,712.09 2,767.16 0 5,394.74 0 
			 (1) Total amount for Travel for the year 2009-10 was £275,461.70, encompassing travel by private hire vehicles, trains, commercial aircraft; overnight subsistence costs, private vehicle motor mileage claims, hotel accommodation and food claims. Expenditure on travel alone for this period can only be made available by manual intervention at disproportionate cost.

Fire Engines

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many fire appliances were (a) owned and (b) leased by each fire and rescue authority in each of the last five years.

Bob Neill: My Department holds data on the total number of fire appliances available in each fire and rescue authority up until 2008-09. However this information is not broken down by whether the appliances are owned or leased.
	Subsequent information on total number of appliances in each fire and rescue authority has been collected by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). CIPFA does not break down whether the fire appliances are owned or leased.

Fire Services

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations he has received on the Ideas Bank established following the report of the Fire Futures forum; and when members of the forum will next (a) discuss and (b) report on reform of the fire and rescue service.

Bob Neill: The Department does not monitor representations against the “Ideas Bank” from the fire and rescue sector's Fire Futures Reports. Further discussions are a matter for sector partners as they seek to deliver more accountable, effective and cost efficient structures.

Fire Services: Manpower

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) whole-time, (b) retained and (c) total firefighters there were per head of population in each of the last 10 years.

Bob Neill: The numbers of firefighters per head of population in England in each of the last 10 years are shown in the table:
	
		
			 Numbers of whole  -  time and retained firefighters (headcount) 2001  -  10 in England 
			  Headcount  
			 At 31 March   each year Whole  -  time Retained Total Headcount per 1,000 heads of population 
			 2001 31,615 13,021 44.636 0.907 
			 2002 31,592 13,002 44,594 0.902 
			 2003 31,631 13,048 44,679 0.900 
			 2004 31,856 13,015 44,871 0.900 
		
	
	
		
			 2005 31,053 13,543 44,596 0.890 
			 2006 30,708 13,927 44,635 0.884 
			 2007 30,804 14,212 45,016 0.887 
			 2008 30,824 14,166 44,990 0.880 
			 2009 30,242 14,268 44,510 0.865 
			 2010 29,880 14,425 44,305 0.855 
			 Source: Fire and Rescue Service Operational Statistics, Department for Communities and Local Government and Office for National Statistics Mid-year Population Estimates

Housing Benefit: Cornwall

Sarah Newton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what funding his Department provided to Cornwall council for discretionary housing benefit payments in 2010-11; and what his estimate is for such funding in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13;
	(2)  what funding he expects Cornwall council to receive from the Discretionary Housing Fund.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department has allocated Cornwall council £239,989 for discretionary housing payments in 2011-12.
	The allocation of funding for 2012-13 is yet to be decided and the Department will work closely with local authorities and their representative groups to consider how the Government's contribution of £60 million for discretionary housing payments available for next year should be distributed.

Housing: Birmingham

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment he has made of the availability of shared accommodation in Birmingham.

Grant Shapps: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 26 April 2011, Official Report, column 236W, by the Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions, my hon. Friend the Member for Thornbury and Yate (Steve Webb), to my hon. Friend the Member for Hove (Mike Weatherley).

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel have been severely injured in Afghanistan in the last 12 months; and how many such personnel are receiving treatment in the Queen Elizabeth hospital, Birmingham.

Andrew Robathan: The information requested is provided in the following table:
	
		
			 Reporting   p  eriod 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2011 
			 Number of VSI or SI in Op HERRICK 154 
			 Number of VSI or SI aeromedically evacuated and treated at Selly Oak and/or QEHB 150 
		
	
	The answer to the question provides the number of service personnel who have been very seriously injured (VSI) or seriously injured (SI) in Afghanistan (Operation HERRICK).
	We are only able to report to the end of December 2010. Additionally, as the figures for the Queen Elizabeth hospital, Birmingham (QEHB) and Selly Oak hospital are captured under the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine Clinical Unit (RCDM Clin Unit), we are unable to identify separately those patients treated at QEHB. Hence, the table shows the number of personnel who have been treated at Selly Oak and/or the QEHB.
	Of the four casualties not recorded as being received by RCDM Clin Unit, two were treated in the field hospital at Camp Bastion and then returned to unit in theatre and two were returned to unit in the UK, receiving treatment within primary health care.

Armed Forces Act 2006

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date current provisions on the army under the Armed Forces Act 2006 will cease to have effect.

Andrew Robathan: The Armed Forces Act 2006 applies to all three Services and will expire on 8 November 2011, unless it is renewed before then by primary legislation or by Order in Council. An Order in Council could only renew the 2006 Act until 31 December 2011. Provision for renewal is therefore made in the Armed Forces Bill which is currently before Parliament. If that Bill is enacted, the 2006 Act will expire in 2012 unless it is renewed by Order in Council.

Armed Forces: Conditions of Employment

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether he has discussed implementation of the Armed Forces Covenant with representatives of the Welsh Assembly Government in relation to (a) the community covenant, (b) council tax relief, (c) access to IVF treatment, (d) concessionary travel and (e) access to prosthetics; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  in what dates he has met representatives of the Welsh Assembly Government to discuss matters relating to (a) health, (b) education and (c) housing responsibilities contained within the Armed Forces Covenant; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 February 2011, Official Report, column 642W, to the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife (Thomas Docherty).

Armed Forces: Horses

Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on the care and upkeep of horses in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: The information is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

British Sovereign Base

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Lord Ashcroft will be given any resources by his Department in his role of senior independent adviser to the Study of British sovereign base areas in Cyprus.

Liam Fox: holding answer 9 June 2011
	The noble Lord, Lord Ashcroft will not be given any resources by the Ministry of Defence. He is not being paid nor will he receive travel and subsistence expenses. He is part of the review team that was provided with support in the form of working meals, accommodation, and transport on its recent visit to Cyprus. A similar level of support will be provided on any future visit.

Guided Weapons

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of repair to Apache helicopters attributable to the firing of Hellfire missiles has been in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: According to available records there have been three reported incidents of damage to the Apache helicopter attributable to the firing of Hellfire missiles. Each incident occurred in 2009. Two involved panel damage and the third was to the aircraft's horizontal stabilator. All repair work was carried out at squadron level by army personnel. Apart from labour costs, the only other cost of repair was that of a panel which was scrapped and replaced costing £19,000. The aircraft with damage to the horizontal stabilator was fitted with a new composite horizontal stabilator which was in the process of being embodied across the Apache fleet.

HMS Endurance

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the cost of maintaining HMS Endurance in the next three years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of commissioning a new ice-breaker to replace HMS Endurance; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: We anticipate making a decision on whether to repair or replace HMS Endurance next year. Until this decision is taken and any resulting competitive process completed, no information can be provided on how much it will cost to maintain HMS Endurance or how much it would cost to commission a new ice breaker. I can, however, confirm that the berthing of HMS Endurance is currently being undertaken at no additional cost to the Department.

HMS Protector

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse has been of refitting HMS Protector; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: On 22 March 2011 the Department signed a contract, worth £26 million, for an interim replacement Ice Patrol Ship, which has been named HMS Protector, In addition, the Department is spending approximately £3.2 million converting her for Royal Navy use, including fitting military task equipment such as survey boats and communications equipment.

Libya: Armed Conflict

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the military and associated action taken in Libya since the passage of UN Security Council Resolution 1973.

Liam Fox: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 May 2011, Official Report, column 1208W to the hon. Member for Islington North (Jeremy Corbyn).

Military Aid

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which countries have participated in military training in UK territory in each of the last 10 years.

Nick Harvey: The Ministry of Defence has a long tradition of training international military and civilian personnel at its training establishments throughout the United Kingdom. Much of the training covers a range of activities in support of bilateral defence relationships in order to strengthen international security and co-operation. The following table gives details of countries that have participated in military training in the UK in the last nine financial years (2001-02 to 2009-10). Information for the preceding year would be available only at disproportionate cost as it was not collated and held centrally before 2001. Data for financial year 2010-11 will be available at the end of June 2011. The information collected does not include training provided at our Overseas Territories as the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The majority of this training comprises individual students attending military courses in the UK.
	
		
			 Country 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 
			 Afghanistan N N N Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Albania Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N 
			 Algeria Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Angola N Y N Y Y N N N N 
			 Antigua and Barbuda N Y Y Y Y Y Y N N 
			 Argentina Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N 
			 Armenia N Y N Y Y Y Y N Y 
			 Australia Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
		
	
	
		
			 Austria Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Azerbaijan N Y Y Y Y Y N N N 
			 Bahamas Y Y Y Y N N N Y Y 
			 Bahrain Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Bangladesh Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Barbados Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N 
			 Belarus N N N N N N N Y N 
			 Belgium Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Belize Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Benin N N N N N N N N Y 
			 Bhutan N N N Y N N N N N 
			 Bolivia N N Y Y N N N N N 
			 Bosnia-Herzegovina N N Y N Y N Y Y Y 
			 Botswana Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Brazil Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Brunei Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Bulgaria Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N 
			 Burundi N N N N Y Y N N N 
			 Cambodia N N N N Y N N N N 
			 Canada Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Chile Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 China (includes Hong Kong) Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Colombia N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Congo Rep N N N N N N Y Y Y 
			 Cote D'ivoire N N N Y N N N N N 
			 Croatia Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N 
			 Czech Republic Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Democratic Rep. Congo N N N N Y Y Y Y N 
			 Denmark Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Djibouti N N N N Y Y N N N 
			 Ecuador N N N N Y N N N N 
			 Egypt Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 El Salvador N N N N Y N N N N 
			 Eritrea N N N Y N N N N N 
			 Estonia Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Ethiopia N Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y 
			 Fiji N Y Y Y Y Y N N N 
			 Finland Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 France Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Gabon N N N N Y Y Y N N 
			 Gambia N N Y Y Y Y Y Y N 
			 Georgia Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Germany Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Ghana Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Greece Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Grenada N Y N N N N N N N 
			 Guatemala Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y 
			 Guyana Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N 
			 Honduras N Y Y N Y N N N N 
			 Hungary Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N 
			 Iceland Y N N Y Y Y N N N 
			 India Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Indonesia N N Y Y Y Y Y Y N 
			 Iraq N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Israel Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Italy Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Jamaica Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Japan Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Jordan Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Kazakhstan N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Kenya Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Republic of Korea Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Kosovo n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a N Y 
		
	
	
		
			 Kuwait Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Kyrgyzstan Y Y Y N Y N N N N 
			 Latvia Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Lebanon Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Lesotho N N N N Y Y N N N 
			 Liberia N N N N N N Y N N 
			 Libya N N N Y Y N Y Y N 
			 Lithuania Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N 
			 Luxembourg Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y N 
			 FYR Macedonia Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y N 
			 Malawi Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Malaysia Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Maldives N N N N Y N N N N 
			 Malta Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Mauritania N Y N N N N N N N 
			 Mauritius N Y Y Y N Y N N N 
			 Mexico N Y Y N N N N N N 
			 Moldova Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N 
			 Mongolia N N N N Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Morocco Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Montenegro Y Y Y Y Y N N N N 
			 Mozambique Y N Y Y Y Y N N N 
			 Namibia N Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Nepal Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Netherlands Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 New Zealand Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Nicaragua N N N N Y N N N Y 
			 Niger N N N N N N N N Y 
			 Nigeria Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Norway Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Oman Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Pakistan Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Occupied Palestinian Territories N N N N N Y Y Y Y 
			 Panama N N N N Y N N N N 
			 Papua New Guinea Y Y N N N N N Y N 
			 Paraguay Y Y N N N N N N N 
			 Peru Y N N Y Y Y Y Y N 
			 Philippines Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N 
			 Poland Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Portugal Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Qatar Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Republic of Ireland Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Romania Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Russian Federation Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N 
			 Rwanda Y N N N Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Saudi Arabia Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Senegal Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Serbia Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Seychelles N N N N Y Y Y N N 
			 Sierra Leone Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Singapore Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Slovakia Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N 
			 Slovenia Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 South Africa Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Spain Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Sri Lanka Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 St Kitts and Nevis N N Y N Y N N N N 
			 St Lucia N N N N Y N N N Y 
			 St Vincent and the Grenadines Y N Y N Y Y N N N 
			 Sudan N N N Y N Y Y Y Y 
			 Swaziland N N Y N N N N N Y 
			 Sweden Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Switzerland Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
		
	
	
		
			 Syria Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y N 
			 Tajikistan N N N Y N N N N N 
			 Tanzania Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Thailand Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Timor l'Este N N N N N N N N Y 
			 Tonga N N N Y Y Y N Y Y 
			 Trinidad and Tobago Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Tunisia N N Y Y Y N N N N 
			 Turkey Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Turkmenistan N N N Y N N N N N 
			 Uganda Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Ukraine Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 United Arab Emirates Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 USA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Uruguay Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Uzbekistan N Y Y Y N N N N N 
			 Venezuela N N N Y Y N N N N 
			 Vietnam N Y N Y Y Y Y N N 
			 Yemen Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Zambia N N Y Y Y Y Y Y N

Military Exercises

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training exercises by UK forces have taken place in another country's territory in each of the last 10 years; and what the location was of each such exercise.

Nick Harvey: Records of military training exercises conducted within the territory of other countries before 2006 are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Records of training exercises held by the Royal Navy do not include details of entry to the territorial waters of other countries and the provision of such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The following table gives details of the countries that the army and the Royal Air Force have conducted training exercises in since 2006.
	
		
			  Financial year 
			 Country 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Total 
			 Albania 1 1 — — — 2 
			 Armenia — — 1 — — 1 
			 Australia 5 — 1 1 1 8 
			 Belgium 6 2 5 — — 13 
			 Belize 13 6 11 6 7 43 
			 Botswana 1 — — — 1 2 
			 Brunei — 2 2 3 2 9 
			 Bulgaria — 1 — — — 1 
			 Canada 13 15 18 14 16 76 
			 Czech Rep 3 2 3 2 2 12 
			 Denmark 2 3 3 3 2 13 
			 Egypt — 2 — 2 — 4 
			 Estonia 1 — — — — 1 
			 Finland — 6 8 9 10 33 
			 France 5 11 18 21 11 66 
			 Georgia — 1 2 — — 3 
			 Germany 10 30 23 26 20 109 
			 Ghana — 1 1 — — 2 
			 Greece 1 — — — — 1 
			 India — — 1 — 2 3 
			 Italy 5 3 6 5 3 22 
			 Jamacia 1 2 2 — 2 7 
			 Jordan 2 — — — — 2 
			 Kazaksthan — 1 1 1 1 4 
			 Kenya 9 7 14 13 15 58 
			 Lithuania — 1 — — — 1 
			 Macedona — 1 — — — 1 
			 Malaysia 1 2 1 2 1 7 
			 Morocco — 1 1 1 1 4 
			 Nepal 3 2 1 1 1 8 
			 Netherland — 1 1 — — 2 
			 New Zealand 1 — 2 2 — 5 
			 Nigeria — — 2 2 1 5 
			 Norway 2 3 3 — 1 9 
			 Oman 3 1 4 1 3 12 
			 Poland 3 3 4 9 2 21 
			 Portugal 1 — — — — 1 
			 Romania — 1 1 — — 2 
			 Russia 1 — — — — 1 
			 Sardinia — — — — — 1 
			 Saudi Arabia — — — — — 1 
			 Sierra Leone — — — — — 1 
			 Singapore — — — — 2 4 
			 Slovakia — 1 — — — 1 
			 South Africa 1 — — — — 3 
			 Spain 2 1 — — 2 7 
			 Sweden — — — — — 1 
			 Turkey — 2 — — — 3 
			 Ukraine — — — — — 1 
			 UAE 2 2 1 — 3 9 
			 USA 30 27 29 30 22 138

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Arab Partnership Fund

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of the £40 million in the Arab Partnership Fund announced for political reform is to be funded by his Department.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) will contribute up to £20 million over four years to the political reform component of the expanded Arab Partnership. We are also funding the economic technical assistance component with up to £70 million over four years. We are working closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on developing the expanded partnership.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department is providing support to the office of the UN Special Representative for Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) strongly supports the work of the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, whom the Minister of State, Department for International Development, met on 19 January 2011. Ministers meet regularly to discuss the UK's work in this area and the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Minister for Equalities, raises awareness and builds support for this as the UK's International Violence Against Women Champion. We are firmly committed to tackling sexual violence in armed conflict as part of our wider work to address violence against women and girls, in support of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
	For example, DFID currently supports the United Nations' Humanitarian Pooled Fund for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which in 2010 funded several projects responding to the needs of victims of sexual violence. Through this mechanism, UK funds provided over 27,000 women with emergency medical care and almost 3,500 women with psychosocial support. The UK also works to strengthen the ability of UN Peacekeeping troops in DRC to protect civilians from sexual violence.

Departmental Trade Unions

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many UK-based trade union officials' employment has been funded in whole or in part through funding agreements between his Department and trade unions in each year since his Department was established.

Alan Duncan: Details of the Department for International Development's (DFID's) support to trade unions are available in the Library of the House.

Developing Countries: Female Genital Mutilation

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to reduce the incidence of female genital mutilation in the developing world.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK Government condemn female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) as a clear abuse of the rights of children and women, wherever it takes place. The Department for International Development's (DFID's) new Framework for Results for improving reproductive, maternal and newborn health, recognises the serious health risks of FGM/C, and supports locally driven social change activities that can challenge and change norms including FGM/C.
	DFID supports measures to eliminate FGM/C through our core funding to the key UN agencies that address FGM/C, namely the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). We also provide support to programmes run by non-governmental organisations, including to the Population Council who carry out research, policy and programme work on adolescents, reproductive health and FGM/C. For example, in the Afar region of Ethiopia, we supported work to raise awareness of the dangers of FGM/C, providing training of officials and working with community and religious leaders to reach into communities.

Developing Countries: Females

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the co-ordination of work to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women undertaken across the UN system.

Andrew Mitchell: Improving the lives of girls and women throughout the world is a crucial priority for the UK's aid programme. With several different organisations working on gender, previously the UN system lacked co-ordination and focus on gender equality. The UK greatly welcomes the creation of UN Women, a new UN agency which merges four previously-existing UN institutions into one stronger organisation designed to ensure co-ordination across the UN and to work towards gender equality and the empowerment of women worldwide.
	I most recently met Michelle Bachelet, the head of UN Women, when she visited the UK on 16-17 May. We discussed the importance of girls and women in development and the crucial role UN Women will play in driving better results from across the UN system on gender. I look forward to the adoption of UN Women's strategic plan at the Executive Board at the end of June.

Diaspora Organisations

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the date was of each meeting he has had with representatives from diaspora organisations in the UK.

Andrew Mitchell: I have met representatives of diaspora organisations on a number of occasions in the past year. Many diaspora organisations belong to BOND and NIDOS, the Scottish umbrella group for NGOs. In November 2010 I spoke at the BOND AGM. I have also had regularly meetings with NIDOS and am meeting the organisation today in Edinburgh.
	The Under-Secretary of State for International Development, spoke at the launch of Africa-UK in February 2011, a new national initiative dedicated to enhancing the contribution of the diaspora to Africa's development.
	Department for International Development (DFID) officials meet regularly with diaspora organisations. The mast recent of these meetings was a diaspora network event hosted by NIDOS in Edinburgh in March 2011.

Libya: Humanitarian Aid

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will discuss with the Italian Government the provision of humanitarian assistance to migrants from Libya.

Andrew Mitchell: I recently spoke to the Italian Foreign Minister. We agreed it is important the international community continues to support those suffering as a result of the conflict in Libya. This includes the early action by the UK Government to fly home over 12,700 migrant workers from the borders, provide emergency shelter for displaced people, funding for the emergency evacuation of people from Misurata and essential support for food, medical supplies and personnel.

Palestinians: Politics and Government

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effects of Israeli restrictions on planning, construction, movement and access in Area C of the West Bank on (a) access to water and natural resources, (b) food security, (c) protection of livelihoods, (d) access to health and education and (e) the overall humanitarian situation in that region.

Alan Duncan: We are monitoring the situation in Area C of the West Bank carefully, drawing on regular reporting from the UN Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs:
	www.ochaopt.org
	and the Emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene group:
	www.ewash.org
	as well as analysis such as that of the Special Rapporteur to the UN Human Rights Council on Occupied Palestinian Territories, published in February this year.
	We are deeply concerned about the impact of Israeli restrictions on Palestinians living in Area C. Access to water and land is restricted, there are high levels of food insecurity and loss of livelihoods. Many Palestinians in Area C have limited access to education and healthcare, with the Palestinian authority unable to deliver basic services. In addition, in 2010 there were 353 demolitions (85% more than in 2009) of Palestinian structures in Area C, leading to forced displacement. We have repeatedly raised these concerns with the Israeli Government, being clear that Israel should take the steps necessary to ensure that the rights of people living in Area C are protected.
	The UK supports the UN Relief and Works Agency to provide essential services to refugees living in Area C. We are also supporting the Norwegian Refugee Council to provide legal support and advice to vulnerable families and communities in danger of risk of displacement.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Electricity

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had on decentralised energy with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Charles Hendry: We hold regular discussions on decentralised energy with the Department for Communities and Local Government, including in relation to planning, building performance, microgeneration and market reform.

Electricity

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what consideration his Department has given to the role of distributed generation in its consideration of security of energy supply in the energy markets.

Charles Hendry: We consulted on Electricity Market Reform in December 2010. Many respondents stressed the need to ensure that changes we make to the electricity system reflect importance of electricity supply at all scales of the energy market, including distributed generation.
	As well as the primary challenge of ensuring sufficient investment and development at a scale that delivers the large scale electricity generating capacity we need to keep the lights on, we are also determined to ensure there is liquidity at all scales of the market and to address the issue of barriers to entry for small scale and independent generators.
	Distributed generation can also be used as a form of demand-side response (DSR), where local generation is used to reduce the effective total demand of a supplier. We consider it important that any form of reliable generation or demand-side response should be able to contribute towards security of supply, so that we can achieve the appropriate level of security of supply in the most cost effective form. Further details of the Government's electricity market reform will be set out in a white paper which is due to be published before the summer recess 2011.

Energy: Infrastructure

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent progress has been made on his Department's National Policy Statements for energy infrastructure; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: As the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, said in his statement to this House on 18 May 2011, Official Report, columns 20-21WS, we are carefully considering Dr Weightman's interim report on the implications for the UK of events at Fukushima and subject to that we intend to lay the energy National Policy Statements before Parliament as soon as possible.

Financial Institutions

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions his Department has had with the European Commission on the renewal of the Risk Sharing Financing Facility.

Charles Hendry: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has not had discussions with the European Commission on the renewal of the Risk Sharing Finance Facility separate from the Government's recent position paper on the Commission proposal for a Common Strategic Framework for EU research and innovation funding from 2014. This paper is available on the BIS website.

Natural Gas: Exploration

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 5 April 2011, Official Report, column 885W, on natural gas: exploration, on what dates (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have met (i) the Health and Safety Executive and (ii) the environment agencies to discuss unconventional gas since 1 January 2011; and if he will publish the minutes of each such meeting.

Charles Hendry: Since 1 January 2011 neither I nor other DECC Ministers have met with the Health and Safety Executive or environment agencies to discuss unconventional gas. However my officials are in involved in a regular dialogue with these regulatory bodies on this subject.

Natural Gas: Fylde

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department plans to investigate the safety of shale gas extraction on the Fylde coast following recent seismic activity in the area.

Charles Hendry: Following the recent seismic tremors, the Department had discussions with the operator, Cuadrilla, and agreed that a pause in operations is appropriate so that a better understanding can be gained of the cause of the seismic events experienced in Poulton-le-Fylde. A geomechanical study is being undertaken, along with further work by the British Geological Survey and Keele university. The implications of this information will be reviewed before any decision on the resumption of hydraulic fracture operations is made.

Natural Gas: Morecambe Bay

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has allocated any funds to the development of the Centrica liquefied natural gas platform to be stationed in Morecambe Bay.

Charles Hendry: The Department has not allocated funds to any offshore liquefied natural gas projects in Morecambe Bay.

Renewable Energy

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of the UK's electricity supply came from renewable energy in each year since 1997.

Charles Hendry: The following table shows the proportion of the UK's electricity supply from renewable electricity generation in each year since 1997, figures for 2010 will be published on 28 July 2011.
	
		
			  Renewables proportion of UK electricity supply (percentage) 
			 1997 1.9 
			 1998 2.3 
			 1999 2.5 
			 2000 2,5 
			 2001 2.4 
			 2002 2.8 
			 2003 2.6 
			 2004 3.5 
			 2005 4.2 
			 2006 4.5 
			 2007 4.9 
			 2008 5.4 
			 2009 6.7